With a young core and a strong one-two punch at the top of the rotation, the Chicago Cubs are back in the playoffs for the first time since 2008.

Here’s what you need to about these Cubs:

Jake Arrieta is on a historic run: The 29-year old righty is the ace of the team and in the midst of a historic roll, having produced the lowest second-half ERA (0.75) in the history of the game. He ended the regular season on a 22-inning scoreless streak and got the win in 22 of the Cubs' 97 victories. Many view him as the possible Madison Bumgarner of 2015. Expect the Cubs to use Arrieta as often as possible if they win Wednesday’s wild-card game, which he will start. Arrieta has a devastating array of pitches and held opponents to a .185 batting average, tops in all of baseball.

Youth at the forefront: At any point in a game, Cubs manager Joe Maddon can employ up to five rookie position players on a team loaded with young talent, led by rookie of the year favorite Kris Bryant. When 21-year-old Addison Russell takes the field Wednesday, he’ll be the fifth-youngest shortstop to start a playoff game. Then there’s 2014 top draft pick Kyle Schwarber, who burst on the scene mid-season just as the team took off. Huge Cuban outfielder Jorge Soler comes off the bench, while Javier Baez is a defensive whiz at three infield positions. Add young veterans Anthony Rizzo and Starlin Castro, and the Cubs are loaded for the postseason and the future.

Maddon made his presence felt: The Cubs' first-year manager is a master communicator who led his young team to a 46-19 finish after it was swept and no-hit by the Philadelphia Phillies at home in late July. But his best job of managing came in the first couple months, when the Cubs held their collective heads above water while Maddon learned his team and his young players got their feet wet. The Cubs were four games over. 500 at the end of April, when they legitimately should have been four under. They amazingly never had a below-.500 month this season, and they’ve won every game they have played so far in October. Maddon had a big hand in the Cubs' ascension.

Lots of walks ... and lots of strikeouts: The Cubs do both on offense – a lot. They led the National League in both free passes and strikeouts this season. The result is a lot of men on base but many stranded. The Cubs were dead last in bringing a runner home from third with fewer than two outs, but they scored enough in many other ways -- home runs, for example -- to keep that from really affecting their record. However, it could be an issue if opposing pitching and cooler weather keep balls from leaving the park. The Cubs worked on some bunting plays during their series over the weekend to prepare for some small ball. It’s hard to know if they can pull that off.

Comfortable home or away: The Cubs had a one-game difference in their home and road win totals. In fact, they have more wins on the road than either of the two teams ahead of them in the division. That was key for a young team, as the Cubs were never overwhelmed by the grind of the season. They actually hit better and scored more runs on the road, but that might be due to Wrigley Field's playing bigger than usual most of the season, as only August brought winds blowing out. Either way, the Cubs have proven they can handle themselves wherever they play. That’s a good thing because they won’t have home-field advantage in any series if they get through the trip to Pittsburgh and move on in the postseason.