A Yankees-Red Sox elimination game?
It doesn’t get much better than that.
Game 3 of the AL Wild-Card series will decide who advances to the ALDS to face the top-seeded Blue Jays.
The Yankees won, 4-3, in Game 2 on Wednesday to even the series, with Jazz Chisholm Jr. scoring the go-ahead run from first base on Austin Wells’ two-out single to right in the eighth.
Thursday’s game will feature a rookie-pitcher duel between Connelly Early and Cam Schlittler, who each flashed upside during the regular season.
Who will prove victorious and advance to the ALDS?
Follow the Post’s live updates from Yankee Stadium for the latest MLB news, scores and highlights.
"That was crazy. Scared the hell out of me but it was sick." Wilyer Abreu says he struggled to communicate with his fellow Red Sox fielders because the Yankee Stadium crowd was so loud pic.twitter.com/TAMCbQ8APaJazz Chisholm Jr. on Ryan McMahon's acrobatic catch: 'Scared the hell out of me'
By Andrew Crane
Jazz Chisholm Jr. talks about Ryan McMahon's catch in the 8th inning: pic.twitter.com/9FbezJcwMbRed Sox outfielder Wilyer Abreu on Boston's communication woes
By Andrew Crane
Those wild-card series are short, and this one turned out oh so sweet for the Bombers. Before a revved-up and raucous Yankee Stadium crowd, the home team exacted needed revenge on the rival Red Sox for many recent postseason results.
There’s a long way to go in this American League playoff derby, but the crowd very much appreciated the efforts of the home team. The Yankees looked like the very club that finished the season with eight straight victories. They moved on to the division series that starts at Toronto on Saturday with a rousing 4-0 victory that won the series 2-1 and sent notice they should be seen as the favorite among the final four teams in their half of the October draw.
Are the Yankees a perfect team? No.
Do they have significant flaws? Absolutely.
But might they be the best of what’s left in the AL? Also affirmative.
"It's personal for me, just playing Boston."
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
- Cam Schlittler pic.twitter.com/AhyBUpnos6
The other starter had ties to Babe Ruth. Cam Schlittler nevertheless was the star in the house that he built.
Because of that, for the first time since 2003 — when Aaron Boone could still decide a game with a swing — historic order was restored to the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry.
It didn’t take the drama of a Bucky Dent or Boone homer, though both were in attendance at Yankee Stadium. So they watched what it did take — a kid from Walpole, Mass., dominating the team for which he grew up rooting.
Schlittler, in career major league start No. 15, authored one of the most big-time pitching efforts in Yankees history. In a do-or-die game — in a move on or be mowed down as October failures yet again for the Yankees — Schlittler delivered eight tour de force innings.
Giancarlo Stanton says Cam Schlittler was "unreal" tonight:
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
"Obviously, we couldn't have done it without him." pic.twitter.com/4R7SvVNCTi
In preparing for his Game 3 start against the Red Sox, Cam Schlittler told Andy Pettitte:
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
"I wasn't going to let them beat me. I was just overconfident in that fact." pic.twitter.com/3zCkseTk75
🎷🎷🎷 pic.twitter.com/mVHTPYy1JM
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
Jazz Chisholm Jr. with the sneak attack on Cody Bellinger 😂 pic.twitter.com/HFsuKapoGH
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
Party time with Austin Wells 🎉 pic.twitter.com/rDBnHti1q3
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
"You feel dominant out there. I didn't really know how many strikeouts I had."
— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) October 3, 2025
Cam Schlittler talks about how he felt on the mound tonight: pic.twitter.com/3x7gX8xZXg
Unsung hero
One AL East nemesis slayed. Now another one awaits.
Led by a flamethrowing rookie pitcher and an offense that took advantage of putting the ball in play instead of waiting for the long ball, the Yankees finished off a comeback against the Red Sox in their AL wild-card series to advance to the ALDS against the Blue Jays.
Cam Schlittler turned in a masterful performance, striking out 12 across eight shutout innings, making a four-run fourth inning from his offense stand up to capture a 4-0 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 on Thursday night, taking the series 2-1 in front of a raucous Yankee Stadium crowd of 48,833.
The Yankees are heading to Toronto after a 4-0 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 of the wild-card series Thursday night. Cam Schlittler made Yankees and MLB postseason in his first career playoff start, tossing eight innings. David Bednar recorded the final three outs for his third appearance this series.
Amed Rosario, Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells all drove in runs for the Yankees.
David Bednar will have a chance to pitch for a third consecutive day and send the Yankees back to the ALDS. Paul Goldschmidt also remained in the game at first base after pinch-hitting for Ben Rice in the eighth.
