Entering the postseason for the first time since 2008, and seeking their first World Series win since 1908, the Cubs have rejuvenated a franchise and fan base with their exciting array of young talent and electric pitching.
The Cubs and Pirates have already faced each other 19 times this year, but their 20th meeting of the season will be the most important. Both teams made late charges to surpass the steady Cardinals, but St. Louis hung on in the end and will face the winner of this game in the NLDS starting Friday.
MORE: Get to know the Pirates | Cubs
When is the AL wild-card game?
First pitch: Wednesday, 8:08 p.m. ET, TBS
Expected starters:
Cubs: Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77 ERA) Pirates: Gerrit Cole (19-8, 2.60 ERA)
Storylines:
Can anyone hit Jake Arrieta?
The Cubs ace has been on a different level in recent months, posting an 11-0 record with just four earned runs in 88 1/3 innings pitched since the start of August. Coincidentally, Arrieta's last earned run came Sept. 16 at Pittsburgh. Pitching on the road shouldn't be a problem for Arrieta, however, considering he went 13-1 with a 1.60 ERA in 16 starts away from Wrigley Field this season.
Will the Cubs be able to score late if they need to?
This is not a knock against the Cubs' lineup, but a testament to the Pirates' glowing bullpen. Led by closer Mark Melancon, who finished the year with an MLB-leading 51 saves, they have done an excellent job closing out narrow leads this season. In addition to Melancon, 30-year-old Tony Watson was nearly unhittable in his set-up role. Watson went 4-1 with a 1.91 ERA and a save in 75 1/3 innings pitched. He owns a 94 MPH sinker that eats opposing hitters up. The Pirates' already sturdy bullpen also got a boost when Joakim Soria came over from the Tigers before the July, 31 trade deadline. Soria finished with a 2.03 ERA in 26 2/3 innings for the Pirates.
Impact players:
Cubs — Anthony Rizzo, 1B; Kris Bryant, 3B
Rizzo, 26, was the first of the Cubs' current wave of young talent to get promoted to MLB and he's been an instant success ever since. The power-hitting first baseman finished with a .278/.387/.899 slash line with 31 home runs and 101 RBIs. It seems like a long time ago now, when Bryant, 23, started the season in the minors. It didn't take long for him to get called up, and despite striking out a startling 199 times, he did everything fans expected him to do. Bryant finished the season with a .275/.369/.858 slash line with 26 home runs, 99 RBIs and 13 stolen bases.
Pirates — Andrew McCutchen, CF; Starling Marte, LF
McCutchen got off to a slow start, hitting just .194 in the month of April, and was almost unrecognizable with his signature dreads surprisingly cut off. But the five-time All-Star rebounded to hit .293 with 22 home runs and 95 RBIs. He will be the catalyst the rest of the team turns to against Arrieta and the Cubs. Marte might be one of the most underrated players in baseball. McCutchen gets all of the headlines with his consistent play, but Marte is quietly becoming a star in his own right. The 26-year-old slugger finished the season with a .287/.337/.780 slash line with 19 home runs 81 RBIs and 30 stolen bases.
Numbers to watch:
The Cubs were late bloomers this season, posting a 50-25 record in the second half of the season after finishing the first half 47-40.
The Pirates went 53-28 at home during the regular season and were 36-17 in one-run games, which could be important on Wednesday.
The Cubs went 48-33 on the road, so traveling to Pittsburgh shouldn't be a concern for them.
Regular season record against:
The Cubs went 11-8 against the Pirates this season, with six of the 11 wins happening on the road.
Prediction:
Cubs 2, Pirates 0
The Pirates are the more well-rounded team right now, but this is a one-game playoff, so expect Jake Arrieta to continue his dominance and get the Cubs through to the NLDS.