Yankees win AL Wild Card Series 2025

NEW YORK — Step one is complete. To fulfill their mission of defending their pennant in a return to the World Series, the Yankees first needed to dispatch their most historic rivals. Now they have, securing a 4-0 victory over the Red Sox in Thursdayâ€s Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.

Bostonâ€s season is over, while the Yankees popped bottles and celebrated by spraying beer in their home clubhouse — but not for long. They have miles to cover, set to advance and face the division rival Blue Jays in the best-of-five AL Division Series, which begins Saturday at Rogers Centre.

“We were a confident group, going into this Red Sox series,†said Yankees captain Aaron Judge. “They had our number all regular season, but we knew what we needed to do. This group knew what was ahead of us.â€

“It felt like as pressure-packed a game as I have ever been in,†said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “A great opponent, a storied opponent. The boys answered the bell and played great baseball these couple of days.â€

Fueled in part by online barbs from Red Sox Nation, the flame-throwing Schlittler made Bostonâ€s bats pay the price, breaking triple digits with his fastball 11 times, including six in the first inning.

The result was a 12-strikeout performance – the most by a Yankees rookie in a postseason game, surpassing Dave Righetti, who fanned 10 Brewers in Game 2 of the 1981 ALDS.

“I woke up and I was locked in,†Schlittler said. “I knew exactly what I needed to do and go out there, especially against my hometown team. As I told Andy [Pettitte] yesterday, I wasnâ€t going to let them beat me.â€

The Yankees took advantage of Bostonâ€s defensive miscues in the fourth. Cody Bellinger opened the inning with a hustle double on a routine fly that clanked off center fielder Ceddanne Rafaela’s glove.

That sparked a sequence in which six of seven Yankees reached base against Early, including run-scoring singles from Amed Rosario and Anthony Volpe. Austin Wells chopped a grounder that tipped first baseman Nathaniel Loweâ€s glove, allowing two more runs to score.

“We didnâ€t play defense,†Boston manager Alex Cora said. “They didnâ€t hit the ball hard, but they found holes and it happened fast.â€

Schlittler, the 24-year-old from Walpole, Mass., made it hold up in a breezy 107-pitch effort, throwing 75 of 107 pitches for strikes. The right-hander didnâ€t make his Major League debut until early July, but he appeared built for the October stage, standing tall over eight scoreless frames.

“Heâ€s been our secret weapon ever since he got called up,†said Judge, though after that performance on a national stage, the word is likely out.

Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon made the defensive play of the night in the eighth inning, vaulting over a railing into the visiting dugout after securing Jarren Duranâ€s foul pop-up.

McMahon said he was “sure I hit everything in that dugout,†but said he expected to be ready for Saturdayâ€s ALDS opener.

“When the games really matter like this, it means a lot more,†McMahon said.

History loomed large in the series, especially after the Yankees dropped Game 1. They became just the third team to win the Wild Card Series after losing Game 1, joining the 2020 A’s (vs. the White Sox) and the 2020 Padres (vs. the Cardinals).

“Man, Iâ€m just glad we were able to extend the season,†Bellinger said. “What a fun group to be a part of. I love each and every one of these guys. This was just a fun series to be a part of.â€

Added Ben Rice: “It just shows what weâ€ve got in this room. Weâ€ve got a resilient bunch of guys, and weâ€re proud of it.â€

This marked the first time since Booneâ€s pennant-winning homer in the 2003 ALCS that the Yankees have ended a Boston season, snapping a run of three consecutive playoff meetings won by the Red Sox over New York – 2004 ALCS, 2018 ALDS and the 2021 Wild Card Game.

“Thatâ€s a good one,†Judge said. “Theyâ€ve had our number in the regular season and in the last couple of postseasons, from â€21 to â€18. But I like this one.â€

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