A rookie saved the New York Yankees on Thursday night, October 2, 2025, at Yankee Stadium in the third game of the Wild Card Series against the Boston Red Sox, their eternal rival, whom they blanked four runs to zero and proved Aaron Boone, the manager of the Bronx Bombers, right. Now things will get serious with the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series.
The New York Yankees eliminated the Boston Red Sox thanks to a new playoff hero.
A new playoff hero
In another chapter of the historic Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, rookie Cam Schlittler struck out 12 batters in eight scoreless innings in the elimination game, sending the New York Yankees to the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
The Boston Red Sox’s season is over, while the New York Yankees will pop bottles and celebrate in their home clubhouse, but not for long. They have a long way to go as they will advance to face divisional rival the Toronto Blue Jays in the American League Division Series, which will begin on Saturday, October 4, 2025 at Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada.
On the 47th anniversary of Bucky Dent’s iconic division-winning home run, Cam Schlittler outpitched Connelly Early in a Gen Z showdown of rival rookies. Schlittler, with his powerful arm, broke the triple-digit barrier with his fastball and used his secondary pitches effectively, striking out 12, a franchise record for a rookie in his postseason debut.
The New York Yankees took advantage of the Boston Red Sox’s defensive errors in the fourth inning. Cody Bellinger led off the inning with an energetic double on a routine fly ball that bounced off the glove of center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela. That set off a sequence in which six of the seven New York Yankees reached base against Early, including RBI singles by Amed Rosario and Anthony Volpe. Austin Wells hit a grounder that glanced off first baseman Nathaniel Lowe’s glove, allowing two more runs to score.
Schlittler, the 24-year-old flamethrower from Walpole, Massachusetts, lived up to expectations. The right-hander did not make his Major League debut until early July, but he seemed made for the October stage, standing tall for eight scoreless innings.
Present history
History was made in the series, especially after the New York Yankees lost Game 1. They became only the third team to win the Wild Card Series after losing the first game, joining the 2020 Athletics (against the White Sox) and the 2020 Padres (against the Cardinals).
This marked the first time since Aaron Boone’s championship-winning home run in the 2003 American League Championship Series that the Yankees have ended Boston’s season, snapping a streak of three consecutive playoff meetings won by the Red Sox over the New York Yankees: the 2004 American League Championship Series, the 2018 American League Division Series and the 2021 Wild Card Game.
Read the full article here
