In a twist that felt almost scripted for baseball's fiercest rivalry, the New York Yankees punched their ticket to the ALDS with a 4-0 shutout over the Boston Red Sox in Thursday's decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card Series. Cam Schlittler, the 24-year-old rookie from Walpole, Massachusetts, turned in a performance for the ages, striking out 12 Red Sox over eight innings without issuing a single walk. Indeed, it was the kind of outing that etched his name into postseason lore—the first time any pitcher had gone at least eight scoreless frames with double-digit strikeouts and zero free passes in playoff history.
Schlittler, who grew up idolizing the Red Sox and even pitched at Northeastern University before being drafted by the Yankees, couldn't hide the mixed emotions. His fastball hummed at 98 mph, baffling Boston's lineup that included promising outfielder Roman Anthony and veteran Masataka Yoshida, who went hitless in the effort. The Walpole native, son of a local police chief, silenced Yankee Stadium just as much as Fenway would have cheered him a year ago. Moreover, his composure under the bright lights spoke volumes about why the Yankees called him up in July; in 14 regular-season starts, he'd posted a 3.12 ERA, but this was something else entirely.
On the other side, Boston's Connelly Early, the 23-year-old lefty and No. 6 prospect straight out of college ball at Vanderbilt, took the mound with the weight of a surging season on his shoulders. How old is Early? Just old enough to dream big, but not quite seasoned for October's grind. He lasted only four innings, surrendering three runs amid a lineup featuring the Yankees' heavy hitters like Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton. The Red Sox, who clawed their way into the playoffs with a fun, scrappy vibe—think Rafael Devers' clutch hits and a revamped bullpen—faded quickly against Schlittler's precision. Even nods to Babe Ruth's ghost in the rivalry couldn't rally them.
Yet, as the Yankees celebrate and Boston laments another early exit, one wonders if this poignant defeat signals deeper rebuild pains for the Sox, or just the cruel poetry of a sport where hometown heroes sometimes wear pinstripes.