Orioles set to face Cubs' Arrieta, Wada

CHICAGO -- The Orioles will face a pair of familiar foes this weekend at Wrigley Field, with right-hander Jake Arrieta slated to start Friday and Tsuyoshi Wada on Sunday.

Arrieta, drafted by Baltimore in 2007, spent four years on the big league club and went 20-25 with a 5.46 ERA. He was traded, along with reliever Pedro Strop, last July to the Cubs in exchange for pitcher Scott Feldman and catcher Steve Clevenger, with Feldman going to Houston this winter as a free agent.

"Scott Feldman pitched well for us and continues to pitch well. Steve Clevenger's a quality catcher, and they got a couple of good Major League guys. It was a good fit for both clubs," manager Buck Showalter said of the trade. "And I don't think it surprises anybody that Jake and Petey have done well, but timing's everything. I think it was a good move for their career, both of them, and I'm excited that it's worked out for them. I hope it doesn't work out [on Friday]."

Arrieta has gone 6-4 with a 2.61 ERA for Chicago this season, showing the kind of consistent success that often eluded him while with the O's.

"It's no surprise," Showalter said of Arrieta's success. "Wish him well. I like Jake. We all pull for Jake."

Wada is more of an unknown for Orioles fans given that he never threw a pitch for the big league club. Signed to a two-year deal following the 2011 season, Wada had Tommy John surgery in May 2012 and spent the following season rehabbing back from the procedure.

"He's finally gotten back to where we thought he would when we originally signed him," Showalter said. "You don't have a crystal ball about the physical part of it, so I'm happy for him. I know it was frustrating for him, the rehab he went through and not being able to get a return for the commitment we had made. But in some ways it kind of shows you why we wanted him. If he's healthy, he'll pitch real well for them, and it looks like he is."