Arrieta hit a batter once in six different games during the regular season. The Cubs won all six, giving up a total of just six runs. Going back to the end of last year, the Cubs are 8-0 with eight runs yielded, total, the last eight times Arrieta hit a batter. Baseball is weird — Arrieta is really good when he’s not hitting batters, too.
Also noteworthy: counting tonight, the last 16 times Arrieta has hit a batter have come when the Cubs are ahead or tied. His HBPs don’t appear to be a product of stress.
