Chicago Cubs pitcher Marcus Stroman is off to a scorching start to the 2023 MLB Season. He is pitching so well he is reminding Cubs fans of former NL CY Young Jake Arrieta, reports NBC Sports’ James Neveau.

Stroman has a 2-1 record through four starts, pitching six shutout innings against the Oakland Athletics on Tuesday night. The start against the Athletics marked his fourth consecutive quality start to the season, putting him in conversation with other Cubs greats over the years.

The Cubs ace is now the third pitcher in franchise history to allow two or fewer runs in his first four starts of the regular season. He joins Steve Stone and Jason Hammel as the two other Cubs pitchers to achieve the feat.

In conversation with Arrieta, Stroman is the second Cubs starter to post at least three or more scoreless outings of six innings or more within the season’s first 16 games. Jake Arrieta did it to start 2016, a year after his 2015 NL CY Young campaign.

Stroman is pitching like the player the Cubs thought they would have ever since Chicago signed him. He is now leading a starting rotation that has been one of the best in the MLB season so far.

Besides Stroman, Chicago in general is off to a hot start. They are 10-6 and hitting the ball all over the yard, headlined by 8 home runs from third baseman Patrick Wisdom. The Cubs look to finish the series against the Oakland Athletics with a win on Wednesday, securing their first sweep of the young season.