Jake Arrieta makes Phillies signing official with tweet in front of team plane

Jake Arrieta left no doubt about where he’s heading next by tweeting a photo in front of a Philadelphia Phillies’ team plane Monday. The development comes less than 24 hours after it was reported that the former Cubs pitcher had agreed to a three-year, $75 million with his new team.

Arrieta was one of the most coveted players on the MLB free agent market this summer, but needed to wait until mid-March to secure a contract. He settled for a deal with the Phillies that includes an opt out clause after the 2019 season but could ultimately be worth as much as $135 million over five years if he stays the whole time.

The Cubs thanked Arrieta for his time with the team, which included a Cy Young Award and a World Series championship, with a very sweet video.

The team also thanked Brittany Arrieta, the pitcher’s wife, for her contributions to the community.

Arrieta played four-plus seasons for the Cubs after being acquired in a trade from the Orioles. He was replaced this offseason by Yu Darvish, who signed a six-year, $126 million deal in Chicago.