The Red Sox vs. Yankees Wild Card Series Gave Us A Postseason Rivalry Classic for the Ages

AP Photo/Frank Franklin III

Few rivalries in sports carry the same weight as Yankees–Red Sox, and few postseason moments are etched deeper than Aaron Boone’s walk-off homer in the 2003 ALCS, the last time New York eliminated Boston in October. Over two decades later, Boone was back at center stage, this time not with a bat but with a lineup card in hand as the Yankees’ manager, trying to guide his team past their fiercest rival in the 2025 AL Wild Card Series.

The Yankees entered October after a roller-coaster regular season. Inconsistency characterized their first half, but in the second half, they turned things around with the league's most explosive offense and a top-tier starting rotation, despite a struggling bullpen. That combination left them both dangerous and vulnerable.

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Boston’s road to the Wild Card was even messier. Early in the season, clubhouse drama weighed them down, and the stunning trade of franchise cornerstone Rafael Devers to the Giants capped it off. But their young core grew up fast, finding their footing after the All-Star break and clawing their way to 89 wins, enough to claim a Wild Card berth.

And so the stage was set: Yankees vs. Red Sox, October baseball, with decades of history in the background and two very different journeys converging in the Bronx. The Boston Red Sox snatched Game 1 in New York, edging the Yankees 3–1 and immediately putting the pressure on the higher-seeded Yankees in this best-of-three. 

Red Sox starter Garrett Crochet delivered a dominant outing in seven ⅔ innings, with just four hits, no walks, and 11 strikeouts in 117 pitches, including a 100.2 mph heater to freeze Austin Wells looking at his final pitch. Crochet was especially sharp in the mid-innings, retiring 17 batters in a row at one stretch.

Max Fried got the nod for New York. He maintained his composure early on, allowing the Yankees to score. The Yankees struck first in the second inning thanks to Anthony Volpe’s homer, giving New York a 1–0 lead. For a stretch, it looked like New York might ride Fried’s start and protect that edge, until the bullpen got involved.

In the 7th inning, with the Yankees’ starter exiled, Boston got to the bullpen, exactly what Alex Cora wanted. Masataka Yoshida, pinch-hitting, lined a two-run single off Luke Weaver to flip the game. That hit put Boston ahead 2–1. In the 9th inning, Alex Bregman added an insurance run with a double that allowed Trevor Story to score. Boston was up 3-1.

The Yankees loaded the bases in the bottom of the 9th, but Aroldis Chapman escaped the jam and sealed the Game 1 win for the Red Sox. This marked the first time in the MLB postseason that a team loaded the bases in the ninth inning with no outs but failed to score. 

Thus, the bullpen became the undoing for New York, as they were unable to preserve their early lead. Facing a dominant left-handed starter in Crochet, Boone went away from his usual core and leaned heavily into righty-on-lefty matchups. On paper, the strategy made sense. In practice, it quickly became a hotly debated decision of his tenure.

Paul Goldschmidt drew the start at first base instead of rookie breakout Ben Rice, who didn’t see the field at all, a move that shocked the fanbase given Rice’s power surge down the stretch. At second base, Boone opted for Amed Rosario over Jazz Chisholm Jr., citing Rosario’s contact skills versus lefties. Chisholm, one of the team’s most dynamic bats and clubhouse leaders, didn’t appear until a pinch-hit at-bat late in the game.

José Caballero got the nod at third base, pushing Ryan McMahon, who has been a steady source of power and defense, to the bench. This stripped the Yankees’ lineup of several of its most productive hitters in favor of contact-oriented right-handed bats. The result? The team managed just four hits all night, with Anthony Volpe's solo homer in the 2nd inning providing the lone run. After that, the offense was silent.

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Alex Cora refused to play games with Aaron Boone. The Yankees were now on the brink of elimination. If they wanted to make a historic comeback, they would have to make adjustments. In game 2, Boone and the Yankees would change things up. Ryan McMahon started at third base, Jazz Chisholm at second base, and Ben Rice at first base. 

In the bottom of the first inning, Ben Rice would make an immediate impact with a two-run shot off of Brayan Bello, putting New York up 2-0. Carlos Rodon was dealing on the mound for New York until trouble struck in the third inning. With two runners on base, Boston’s Sogard laid down a bunt fielded by Rodon; Chisholm couldn't keep his foot on first while making the scoop.

It was bases loaded for Boston. Trevor Story hit a two-RBI single right in center field. The game was tied. Rodon would find a way out of this terrifying inning with a strikeout and a double play. Justin Wilson would replace Bello after just two and 2/3 innings of work. Cora was forced to make the same mistake Boone made in game 1. In the 5th, Aaron Judge added to New York’s lead with an RBI single that bounced off the glove of a diving Jarren Duran. This scored Trent Grisham and restored a one-run edge.

The Red Sox answered immediately to tie the game 3-3. Trevor Story would strike again in the top of the sixth inning with an absolute bomb of a home run to left field. Although the damage would hurt, Rodon managed to get out of this tricky inning with a popout and another double play. Fernando Cruz would keep Boston scoreless in a very tricky top of the seventh; Boston’s bullpen would do the same against New York’s lineup in the bottom of that inning.

Then came the crucial 8th inning. Devin Williams would shut down Boston in the bottom of that inning; Chisholm drew a walk. With two outs, Austin Wells’ clutch single down the right line would be enough to bring the speedy Chisholm home all the way from first base. New York went up 4-3. At this point, manager Alex Cora was going through his bullpen like a printing machine. Payton Tolle somehow ended the inning for Boston with bases loaded after a Trent Grisham groundout.

In the ninth, Bednar redeemed himself and closed the game. The series was now tied. Anything could happen from here. In a winner-take-all night at Yankee Stadium, New York dismantled Boston 4–0 to win the AL Wild Card Series 2–1. Rookie Cam Schlittler delivered a masterclass, the offense broke through in a big 4th inning, and the Red Sox never recovered.

Game 3 was The Schlitt Show. The 24-year-old right-hander was making just his 15th major league start in his postseason debut. He was untouchable, throwing eight shutout innings, five hits, no walks, and 12 strikeouts. He became the first player in MLB postseason history to accomplish this milestone and the first Yankee ever to reach 12 strikeouts in a playoff game. Boston could not handle his triple-digit fastball; their lineup never adjusted. Schlittler kept peppering them with fastballs over and over again; all they could do was swing and miss. Out of a total of 107 pitches thrown, the Cam Man punched a whopping 75 strikes.

For Boston, Connelly Early took to the mound and became the youngest player since Babe Ruth to start a playoff game for their franchise at 23 years old. Early is a hard-throwing hurler himself, registering 6 strikeouts on the night without giving a single run in the first 3 innings. But that would only last for so long.

Cody Bellinger doubled to right-center field in the bottom of the fourth inning after Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu failed to communicate and allowed the fly ball to drop. Stanton then walked, followed by a Ben Rice strikeout. Amed Rosario came in clutch with an RBI single to left field that scored Bellinger from second base.

Chisholm would load the bases with a single to right field. Volpe then ripped a single to right field to score Stanton; the bases remained loaded. The Red Sox defense bobbled a groundball hit to the right side off the bat of Austin Wells, which would score 2 runs. Wells had come in clutches once again.

After Early caused Grisham to fly out, his day was done after less than 4 innings. After Justin Slaten hit Aaron Judge on the arm, the bases were loaded once more. New York had batted around with Bellinger up again; he would fly out to end the inning.

While the Yankees' bats were quiet the rest of the way, it wouldn't matter. Boston had no chance of getting to Schlittler. This was Cam Schlittler's masterpiece. David Bednar made his third appearance of the series, coming into the ninth to take care of business. He certainly took care of business by closing the door on Boston, which ended their season with a final score of 4-0. The Yankees advance to the ALDS to face Toronto.

For Boston, they fought through many hardships this season, a much better year than the one before. It ends in heartbreak, but they're young and have reason to be hopeful going forward. After an up-and-down season, New York defeats Boston in the postseason for the first time in more than 20 years. They move on to face a tough opponent in the Blue Jays.