In a matchup laced with irony, Cam Schlittler, the 24-year-old rookie from Walpole, Massachusetts, delivered a postseason masterpiece that ended the Boston Red Sox's surprising run. The New York Yankees blanked their archrivals 4-0 in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series on Thursday night, advancing to the Division Series while leaving Fenway faithful stunned. Schlittler, son of Needham Police Chief John Schlittler and a lifelong Red Sox supporter growing up, struck out 12 over eight scoreless innings without issuing a single walk—a feat unprecedented in playoff history for such dominance.
Indeed, the right-hander's fastball hummed at 98 mph, baffling Boston's lineup that had clawed their way into the postseason. Roman Anthony, the young outfield phenom, went hitless in three at-bats, while Masataka Yoshida, the steady designated hitter, managed only a weak groundout in his final appearance of the year. Schlittler's command was surgical; he retired the side in order four times, turning what could have been an emotional showdown into a clinical dissection. For the Yankees, it was redemption after dropping the first two games—now they're geared up for Cleveland or whoever awaits.
On the other side, Red Sox starter Connelly Early, the 23-year-old lefty fresh from Vanderbilt College, couldn't match the intensity. The No. 6 prospect in Boston's system lasted just 4.2 innings, surrendering three runs on five hits, including a two-run homer to Aaron Judge that salted the game early. Early, who turned 23 in July, showed flashes of his potential with five strikeouts, but the pressure proved too much. Boston's bullpen, already taxed, offered little resistance afterward.
Moreover, the Yankees' lineup clicked without fanfare: Gleyber Torres and Anthony Volpe provided key hits, while closer Clay Holmes sealed it in the ninth. For Schlittler, traded to New York last offseason after stints in the minors, this was poetic justice—or heartbreak, depending on the jersey. The Red Sox, who defied odds all season with grit and timely hitting, fade into October's shadows once more. Yet baseball's cruel twists remind us: one pitch, one at-bat, can rewrite loyalties forever.