Chicago Cubs

CHICAGO — Every traditional sports rivalry has similar components—geography, divisional ties and decades of history. The Cubs-Cardinals rivalry can be similarly characterized but with one very unique attribute attached: envy. 

The Chicago Cubs notched their first playoff victory since 2003 during this year's MLB postseason but are evidently not satisfied with such modest exploits.

The Chicago Cubs look to take care of business and eliminate the rival St. Louis Cardinals from the postseason behind starter Jason Hammel in front of the home crowd at Wrigley Field during Game 4 of the National League Division Series at 4:30 p.m. ET Tuesday.

Based on recent headlines, you'd think the Chicago Cubs' rise to power has had everything to do with Jake Arrieta and little to do with, well, anything else.

In reality, however, the bats have also had a lot to do with that. And on Monday evening at Wrigley Field, they made that clear by upstaging none other than Arrieta himself.

Chicago Cubs infielder Addison Russell exited Game 3 of the National League Division Series after suffering a hamstring injury and was replaced by Javier Baez.

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The Chicago Cubs needed only one win to distinctly swing the advantage.

On Saturday, they got it. Now, the home-field advantage is on their side. But more importantly, so is the pitching lineup.

Of all the things that happened in 2015, the Chicago Cubs' winning 97 games with a major boost from a pitcher who came to the team as a throw-in player in a throwaway deal was arguably at the top of the "There's No Way This Is for Real" power rankings.

But after what happened Wednesday night, we now know this: This is for real, all right.

Jake Arrieta's run of dominance continued Wednesday in a National League Wild Card contest as the Chicago Cubs defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates, 4-0, to clinch their first NLDS appearance since 2008.

Arrieta pitched a four-hit, complete-game shutout that saw him strike out 11 Pirates batters. According to ESPN's Karl Ravech, Arrieta is operating in truly elite air:

To say that Chicago Cubs starting pitcher Jake Arrieta had a good second half to his season would be an understatement—a big one.

Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo was hit by a pitch for the 30th time this season during Tuesday's 4-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds, joining Don Baylor (1986) as the only two players in MLB history to hit 30 home runs and get hit by 30 pitches in the same season, per ESPN Stats & Info.