Arrieta received a one-year qualifying offer from the Cubs on Monday, the Chicago Sun Times reports.

EDGE Analysis

This is more of a formality than anything, since Arrieta has already made it publicly known that he'd rather sign a multi-year deal as a free agent this offseason, rather than the one-year, $17.4 million offer given by the Cubs on Monday. Even though he only made $15.6 million in 2017, the 31-year-old understandably wants to secure long-term financial security, and isn't expected to accept the one-year offer, leaving his future uncertain at the moment.

Arrieta's scheduled start against the Nationals in Game 4 of the NLDS has been postponed due to rain, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

The contest has been rescheduled for Wednesday, and the Cubs are expected to stick with Arrieta as their pitcher for Game 4. The Nationals haven't announced their pitching plans, but Arrieta likely face off against Stephen Strasburg in the potentially decisive game.

Arrieta will take the mound for Game 4 of the NLDS against Washington, if it's necessary, according to manager Joe Maddon, Jesse Rogers of ESPNChicago.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Arrieta will receive a little extra time to recover from his strained hamstring that has been bothering him for the past few weeks, while Jose Quintana lands the Game 3 start. Maddon decided to go with Kyle Hendricks and Jon Lester for the opener two contests, respectively, while hoping that gives Arrieta the break he needs to be ready for next Tuesday's affair, if the series goes to a fourth game. Looking ahead to the near future, Arrieta will toss a bullpen session Wednesday afternoon and will likely follow that up with another before his anticipated start.

Arrieta will throw a bullpen session Wednesday, Jesse Rogers of ESPN.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Arrieta was originally scheduled to throw a simulated game Wednesday, but the Cubs are worried about the potentially slick field conditions, so they'll play it safe given his recent hamstring issues and limit him to a bullpen session. Manager Joe Maddon insisted Arrieta didn't suffer a setback and that the move was precautionary. Assuming the bullpen goes well, Arrieta is expected to start either Game 3 or Game 4 of the NLDS against the Nationals.

Arrieta will compete in a simulated game Wednesday, and will likely take the mound once the Cubs return to Wrigley Field for Game 3 of the NLDS against Washington, Bruce Levine of WSCR-AM reports.

EDGE Analysis

Instead of pitching Sunday's game against the Reds, the club has elected to give Arrieta more time to heal his hamstring injury -- which caused him to miss a couple weeks earlier this month -- and will turn it over to Mike Montgomery for the regular-season finale. Looking ahead, it appears as though Arrieta will be re-evaluated following Wednesday's session, and then likely take the mound against the Nationals on Oct. 9 for Game 3 of the series. There hasn't been any official word from manager Joe Maddon regarding the playoff rotation at this point in time, but it is looking like some combination of Jon Lester, Jose Quintana and Kyle Hendricks will toe the rubber for the first two games in the nation's capital.

Arrieta will no longer take the mound against the Reds on Sunday, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Instead of toeing the rubber one last time before the playoffs, Arrieta will now throw a simulated game Sunday, in order to receive a little more rest and to take it easy on his hamstring. The right-hander recently pitched against the Cardinals on Tuesday, allowing five runs (three earned) over the course of three innings, which was just his second start since Sept. 4, due to the hamstring injury. Arrieta stated that this move was made with the playoff in mind but reiterated that he feels strong and healthy. The Cubs have yet to announce the rotation ahead of the NLDS against Washington, or Sunday's starter against the Reds, but all of those decisions should be answered in the near future.

Arrieta is expected to start Sunday's game against the Reds, Bob Nightengale of USA Today reports.

EDGE Analysis

Despite having already clinched the NL Central, the Cubs will still send out Arrieta for Sunday's regular-season finale. He recently returned from a hamstring injury and was on a pitch count in his last outing, so the team likely wants to get him one final tune-up contest before the postseason. Arrieta has been sharp since the All-Star break, compiling a 2.28 ERA and 61:20 K:BB in 67 innings (12 starts), so look for him to close the year out on a high note.

Arrieta (14-10) allowed five runs (three earned) on six hits with one walk and four strikeouts over three innings to take the loss Tuesday in St. Louis.

EDGE Analysis

After surrendering a leadoff homer to Matt Carpenter, Arrieta almost worked around a one-out triple by Dexter Fowler until Chicago committed a pair of defensive miscues behind him. Shortstop Mike Freeman mishandled a routine ground ball to score Fowler then Ian Happ took a bad route on a deep Randal Grichuk drive to allow an RBI triple that put St. Louis up 3-0 in the first inning. Arrieta proceeded to surrender a two-run homer to Tommy Pham in the next frame, but was able to work a scoreless third before being replaced by Mike Montgomery after 67 pitches. With Chicago's magic number for clinching the NL Central at one, Arietta's next start will likely come in the postseason rather than in Sunday's regular season finale against the Reds. He came in with a 1.97 ERA in 11 outings since the All-Star break, so expect a sharper Arrieta when he next takes the mound.

Manager Joe Maddon announced that Arrieta will be on a 75-to-85 pitch limit in Tuesday's game against the Cardinals, Carrie Muskat of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Arrieta threw only 71 pitches in his five-inning start against the Brewers last week and will be under a similar pitch restriction this time around. The 31-year-old looked sharp in his last outing but his DFS upside Tuesday is ultimately limited by his inability to pitch late in the game.

Arrieta gave up one run on five hits and a walk while striking out two in five innings Thursday against the Brewers. He did not factor in the decision.

EDGE Analysis

Arrieta only threw 73 pitches (43 strikes) in his first start after missing almost three weeks with a hamstring injury. Given the importance of the game (the Cubs are working on securing the N.L. Central crown) and Arrieta's expected pitch count, this was not a surprise. He is expected to start again Tuesday in St. Louis, and should be allowed to go deeper in that outing. It is unclear if he will stay on turn and pitch again in the final game of the season next weekend or if the Cubs will go a different route in an effort to set up their playoff rotation.