Oddsmakers, public like Cubs’ Jake Arrieta in tonight’s NL wild-card game

All of the amazing numbers Chicago Cubs ace Jake Arrieta has compiled this season, and especially in the past two months, mean nothing now. This is a do-or-die game.

Remember the surprising success of the New York Yankees? In the blink of an eye, it's history. After a six-month regular season, the postseason can end in a day.

The Cubs are minus-130 favorites over the Pirates in today's National League wild-card game in Pittsburgh. The Cubs are sentimental favorites with most of the betting public, but they also deserve to lay a price on the road because of Arrieta. No sane person really wants to bet against him.

"Nobody can hit this kid," South Point oddsmaker Jimmy Vaccaro said. "I've never seen anything like it."

Some of the numbers are too impressive not to review. The Cubs are 13-0 in Arrieta's past 13 starts, and during that stretch he's 11-0 with a 0.57 ERA. En route to a 22-win season, he went 13-1 on the road, and the Cubs were 16-2 in his road starts. In his past three starts against the Pirates, all since Aug. 4, Arrieta pitched 22 innings and allowed one earned run.

But there are two aces going today, and Gerrit Cole is no joker. The Pirates right-hander is a 19-game winner with a 9-3 record at home. Also, Pittsburgh is 8-1 against the Cubs in Cole's past nine starts.

The total of 5½ seems low until considering who's pitching. Still, betting under 5½ is too risky to recommend.

The line value, in the eyes of some sharp bettors, was with the Pirates at plus-125. The line has dropped a little today because of sharp action on the 'dog.

"To me, it's total disrespect of the Pirates," Westgate Las Vegas sports book manager Ed Salmons said of the Cubs being priced so high.

A majority of the public bettors who cashed with Houston and Dallas Keuchel on Monday are siding with Arrieta and the Cubs.

"I would venture to say we'll be rooting for the Pirates," said Vaccaro, who is seeing a major wagering handle on the wild-card games with the Cubs and Yankees being involved in isolated prime-time spots.

Pittsburgh has redemption in mind after getting knocked out at home by Madison Bumgarner and the San Francisco Giants in last year's wild-card game.

The Cubs are probably priced a little too high. But, again, no sane person can confidently bet against Arrieta.

Pick: Cubs

Contact reporter Matt Youmans at myoumans@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2907. Follow him on Twitter: @mattyoumans247