The Chicago Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates have been in the same division since 1969, but the two storied franchises have never faced off in the post-season.
It’s a fascinating matchup between two clubs that combined for 195 wins in 2015.
The Cubs’ rebuilding plan ramped up this season with new manager, a young and powerful lineup and a top-tier duo of starters to help Chicago make their first playoff appearance since 2008. And in case you haven’t heard, the Cubs haven’t won the World Series since 1908, the longest drought in professional sports.
The Pirates finished just ahead of Chicago in the standings and own the league’s best record since May 20 (80-42). They finished third in the majors with 53 home wins.
Here’s what to watch for:
Wednesday, Oct. 9 – 8:08 p.m. ET
Jake Arrieta (22-6, 1.77) vs. Gerrit Cole (12-7, 3.51)
Battle of aces: Wednesday’s wild card game will feature a pair of NL Cy Young candidates in Chicago’s Jake Arrieta and Pittsburgh’s Gerrit Cole. Arrieta was borderline unhittable this season, registering the Cubs’ first sub-2.00 ERA from a starter since 1920, and the 29-year-old went 3-1 with a 0.75 ERA in five starts against the Pirates. He has only allowed four earned runs since Aug. 1, and can contribute with the bat, as well.
Conversely, the Pirates should be confident with Cole taking the mound. Pittsburgh is 8-1 in Cole’s nine career starts against the Cubs, including 3-1 this year, and he went 9-3 with a 2.83 ERA in 15 home starts this season. Something has to give in this matchup.
Pirates excel in one-run games: The Pirates are well built for the postseason because of their quality starting pitching, strong bullpen, outfield defence, and speed on the base paths, but one stat that really stands out is their 36-17 record in one-run games, the best in the majors. A big part of that metric relates back to the success of closer Mark Melancon, who recorded a franchise record 51 saves including five against the Cubs. The Pirates are hoping they can use their dominant closer with the lead on Wednesday.
Does playoff experience matter? This matchup will provide a decent litmus test for the value (or lack thereof) of playoff experience. The Pirates are making their third straight wild-card game appearance, winning in 2013 and falling short in 2014, while the majority of the Cubs’ key offensive contributors (Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, Kyle Schwarber, Addison Russell) will be appearing in their first ever playoff game. How the young Cubs respond could be the difference in the game.
Cubs are road warriors: While the noise at PNC Park could play a factor, the Cubs — despite their youth — were the best road team in baseball this season. Maddon’s club posted a league-high 48 road wins, which included a 6-4 mark in Pittsburgh. The Cubs have won three of their last four at PNC.
Will McCutchen break out in playoffs? Andrew McCutchen has been an invaluable player to Pittsburgh over the last few seasons, but the 28-year-old has not been a huge contributor in his seven career postseason games. It’s a small sample for sure, but McCutchen has yet to drive in a run over his 25 career playoff at-bats and has just one extra-base hit (a double) over that span. Some offensive production from the Pirates would go a long away for Cole, who’s 37-5 lifetime when he’s given three or more runs of support.
