Cubs Find What's Hampered Jake Arrieta Lately: Mental Approach Contributing To Mechanical Flaw

(CBS) Cubs right-hander Jake Arrieta hasn't been anything like his Cy Young self of late.

Arrieta has gone just five innings in each of his past two starts, with his pitch count climbing early as he's struggled with his control. In five starts in June, he carries a 3.54 ERA and has walked 15 batters in 28 innings.

Manager Joe Maddon has emphasized nothing was wrong physically with Arrieta and his velocity is fine, indicating instead that it was a feel and rhythm issue. So what's pitching coach Chris Bosio think?

"Jake and I talked about it yesterday, I brought up some data actually and showed him exactly what's going on," Bosio said in an interview Wednesday morning with Brian Hanley and Zach Zaidman on 670. "I'd rather not (get specific), but it's been addressed. It's something we're going to be working on on the side here in about an hour-and-a-half. It's something that's definitely fixable. He's aware of it, and I'm aware of it and now we go attack it, get a game plan and set the stage for his start coming up in New York.

"It's something that has to do mechanically, mentally and those things are fixable things. It's a mental approach, which you talk about, you address it, you accept it and then you move forward and get a game plan.

"The hardest thing to do is to be critical of yourself in a time where things are going pretty good for him -- lately, no. But like you said, a lot of guys are sitting with a (3.54 ERA in June) and having career months. Not for Jake. That's not acceptable for Jake. That's not acceptable for us. We're going to game plan and try to get this thing tightened up. Hopefully we see some different results in his next start."

Arrieta is 12-2 with a 2.10 ERA and 1.02 WHIP for the season. His next start is Saturday when Chicago plays at the New York Mets in a rematch of last season's NLCS.

Listen to Bosio's full interview below. He also talks about manager Joe Maddon's mad scientist maneuvering with his lineup and much more.