Reigning NL Cy Young Award winner Jake Arrieta of the Cubs is leaning toward not pitching in Tuesday's All-Star Game in order to rest up for the second half, agent Scott Boras confirmed to ESPN.com.
Arrieta only acknowledged his recent struggles during his media availability Monday in San Diego.
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"We've scuffled the past couple weeks," he said. "The break is coming at a really good time."
Arrieta (12-4, 2.68 ERA) hasn't lasted more than six inning in his past five starts and exited three of those before the sixth. He added that his feelings about pitching Tuesday aren't related to Giants pitcher Johnny Cueto getting the starting nod from NL skipper Terry Collins since Clayton Kershaw, Madison Bumgarner and Noah Syndergaard are unavailable for various reasons.
"I'm not disappointed," Arrieta said of being passed over. "I'm realistic. My last three starts were poor."
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Boras later confirmed that his client was considering sitting out, although, as of late Monday afternoon, Collins wasn't aware of Arrieta's decision would be.
As for the second-half context, Arrieta — who logged 229 innings, 121 2/3 before the break, while going 22-6 in his award-winning 2015 season — admitted to being tired during last year's NLCS, which the Cubs lost to the Mets.
He has pitched 114 1/3 innings thus far this season, and manager Joe Maddon, whose team has a seven-game lead in the NL Central, is aiming to have his ace fresh for October.
