Jake Arrieta on PED talk: ‘I’ve never taken any shortcuts’

Jake Arrieta has gotten so good so suddenly that he is now being chased by PED accusations. The reigning NL Cy Young Award winner says that he has never cheated the game and that PEDs have nothing to do with his sudden success, which includes a 20-1 record with a 0.86 ERA in his last 24 starts.

“It’s somewhat flattering, especially when some of those comments are coming from some of the best players in the game,” Arrieta said Tuesday of the accusation, via the Chicago Tribune.

Arrieta then pointed to his 6-foot-4, 225-pound frame and says he is naturally big.

“I eat plants, I eat lean meat,” he said. “That’s my gig. That’s what I do. I watch what I eat and I train properly, and that’s no secret. And my mom is 6-1 and my dad is 6-4, so I’m going to be big regardless.

“I could be 30 pounds heavier if I wanted to, if I played football. But I play baseball, so I do Pilates and I strength train with heavy weights occasionally, and this is the result. … My teammates and myself, I know I’ve never taken any shortcuts, and I never intend to.”

Arrieta also says that he throws just as hard as he did in Baltimore, the difference is he has more command. A big reason why is because his mechanics, position on the rubber, and more was constantly changed in Baltimore, as this SI profile attests.

Why has he become so much more ripped physically? It’s not PEDs but rather Pilates that accounts for the difference. He does Pilates in the Cubs’ clubhouse and also does it six days a week at home.

No steroids were involved in the making of Arrieta’s success. As for those who are using, Arrieta wants even harsher punishments for them.

“It’s apparent guys are still trying to take things, and guys will continue to do so unless the penalties are stiffer. I personally don’t think guys should get multiple chances when guys fail a steroid test.

“If I’m doing it the right way, I expect everyone to.”