In a decisive Game 3 that felt like a throwback to the rivalry's fiercest days, the New York Yankees blanked the Boston Red Sox 4-0 on Thursday night, wrapping up the AL Wild Card Series and sending their archrivals packing. Rookie sensation Cam Schlittler, the Massachusetts kid with a police chief dad, delivered a masterclass on the mound, scattering just three hits over seven innings while fanning nine Boston hitters. It was the kind of performance that quiets doubters—and a packed Yankee Stadium crowd that hadn't been this raucous since last fall's pennant push.
The series had been a nail-biter from the jump. Boston grabbed Game 1 with a 3-1 squeaker on September 30, leaning on solid pitching and timely hits from the likes of Wilyer Abreu. But the Yankees bounced back in Game 2, edging out a 4-3 thriller the next day, with their offense scratching across runs against a weary Red Sox bullpen. By Thursday, though, New York was in control early. Aaron Judge crushed a two-run homer in the third, and that was all Schlittler needed. The young right-hander, who entered the night with modest minor-league numbers, touched 97 mph and mixed in a nasty slider that left Red Sox bats flailing.
Boston's staff, meanwhile, couldn't find traction. Starter Garrett Crochet labored through four innings, surrendering three runs before handing off to a pen that included David Bednar, who couldn't stem the tide. The Red Sox, who had clawed their way into the playoffs on a late-season surge, now face an offseason of what-ifs. Nathaniel Lowe and the rest of the lineup managed only a handful of baserunners against Schlittler, underscoring how quickly momentum can flip in October.
Indeed, the Yankees' path forward looks promising as they gear up for the ALDS against a yet-to-be-determined foe. Gerrit Cole, sidelined earlier but itching to return, could bolster this rotation soon enough. Yet for all the fireworks in this storied matchup—now 4-3 Yankees in playoff history—the real story might be how New York reclaimed some edge in a rivalry that's always one pitch away from boiling over again.
As the MLB postseason unfolds with its usual drama, one can't help but wonder what twists await the pinstripes next.