Jake Arrieta Cubs 2015
Starting pitcher Jake Arrieta guns for the Cubs first postseason victory since 2003 against the Pittsburgh Pirates in Wednesday's National League Wild Card playoff. Getty Images

With more than 4,600 tickets still available, the Chicago Cubs mark their return to the postseason against the National League Central rival Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL’s Wild Card Playoff Wednesday night at PNC Park.

Featuring a stellar pitching matchup of two Cy Young candidates, the Cubs send Jake Arrieta to the mound while the Pirates go with Gerrit Cole. Both clubs are looking to the St. Louis Cardinals, another NL Central foe, in the Divisional Series.

Nearly 5,000 tickets are still up for grabs on the secondary market and they are costly for the average fan. According to StubHub.com, the price ranges from as little as $99 for a standing room only pass to $3,843.16 for a box seat behind the visiting team dugout.

The prices might seem steep but for Cubs fans they probably aren’t. Chicago reached the playoffs for the first time since 2008 and is seeking its first postseason victory since 2003, when it famously came within five outs of making the World Series. The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. The Pirates last won a title in 1979.

But the latest search of the secondary market does indicate deals are available. Last week ticket blog TiqIQ reported the average cost for a Cubs playoff ticket was going for $849.87, compared to $268.62 for Pirates tickets.

The Pirates will make their third straight playoff appearance and second in the NL Wild Card after falling to eventual World Series champion San Francisco last season 8-0.

The matchup marks the first time the Cubs and Pirates will face each other in the postseason, and both sides could be readying for a pitchers’ duel.

With a perfect 11-0 record over his last 13 starts, Arrieta finished the regular season with an NL-best 22 wins and a 1.77 ERA and 236 striekouts, while Cole wasn’t too far behind with a 19-8 record, 2.60 ERA, and 202 strikeouts.