The New York Yankees punched their ticket to the American League Division Series tonight, dismantling the Boston Red Sox 4-0 in a decisive Game 3 of the Wild Card round. It was a clinical performance, especially from the mound, where rookie Cam Schlittler delivered what could only be called a masterpiece. The 22-year-old right-hander went the distance, scattering just four hits and striking out nine without walking a soul. Indeed, his poise under the playoff lights silenced any doubts about his readiness for the big stage.
Offensively, the Yankees didn't waste time. Aaron Judge crushed a two-run homer in the third inning off a hanging slider from Boston's starter, pushing the score to 2-0 and setting the tone. That blast, his third of the postseason already, traveled 418 feet to right-center, a reminder of why he's the face of this franchise. Gleyber Torres added insurance with a solo shot in the sixth, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. tacked on an RBI double later, but really, the bats were secondary to the pitching clinic unfolding.
Boston, meanwhile, looked flat from the jump. Their lineup, which had scraped together a 3-1 win in Game 1, managed only a handful of baserunners against Schlittler. The Red Sox stranded two in the fourth and came up empty again in the seventh—frustrating moments that highlighted their offensive woes this October. Manager Alex Cora pulled his starter early, but the bullpen couldn't stem the tide either. However, credit to the Yankees' defense; a sprawling catch by Jasson Dominguez in left kept the shutout intact.
This victory caps a rollercoaster Wild Card series for New York, who dropped the opener but roared back with a 6-1 rout in Game 2 before tonight's gem. At 4-0, it's their first playoff shutout since 2017, and Schlittler's line—complete game, no runs—puts him in rarified air for a debutant. The Yankees now await their ALDS opponent, likely the winner of the Guardians-Tigers matchup.
Yet as the champagne sprays in the clubhouse, one wonders how far this young arm can carry a team hungry for another ring.