The National League side of the 2015 MLB postseason kicks off on Wednesday night when the Pittsburgh Pirates will host the Chicago Cubs in the NL Wild Card Game.
Despite having the second- and third-best records in all of baseball, the two teams are forced to meet in the do-or-die game after the St. Louis Cardinals claimed the NL Central title with a 100-win season.
For the Pirates, it's the third time in as many years they will play host to the NL Wild Card Game. They advanced to a division series matchup with the Cardinals in 2013, but were shut out last year by the eventual World Series champion San Francisco Giants.
On the other side, the Cubs are in the playoffs for the first time since 2008, as they've made a drastic turnaround in the past year after a 73-89 finish in 2014.
The Cubs took the season series 11-8, and they'll send their ace Jake Arrieta to the mound to face of another budding star in Gerrit Cole.
So who will come out on top?
What follows is an in-depth look at all facets of the NL Wild Card Game matchup to get you ready for what promises to be a nail-biting Wednesday night.
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