Cubs vs. Pirates Wild-Card Game Preview

Jake Arietta, Cy Young Award candidate for the Cubs, holds a 3-1 pitching record  in five starts vs. Pittsburgh, with a 0.75 ERA and 18 hits allowed in 36 innings.

On Pittsburgh’s side, the Pirates’s Gerrit Cole had a 2-1 record with a 2.13 ERA in four starts vs. the Cubs, striking out 32 in 25 1/3 innings.

Each team will have to make certain adjustments, of course, in order to secure a win. The Cubs, for instance, have proven that they play significantly better defensively when rookie Addison Russell was moved from second to shortstop. The Pirates could start Pedro Alvarez, who led the club with 27 home runs, or they could start Sean Rodriguez at first base. Josh Harrison seems like the strongest infielder for Pittsburgh.

It seems that the Cubs, a team that won its last eight games and is starting a pitcher who only allowed four earned runs in the last two months of the season, are the likely winners for this matchup. Their relatively young team, which includes rookies at short and third, also makes them a notable favorite.

The two teams face off at 8pm tonight at PNC Park in Pittsburgh. The game will air on TBS.