Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws to the plate in the first inning against the Boston Red Sox during game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees Eliminate Red Sox in Wild Card Win

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Oct 2, 2025 10:52 PM ET

The Yankee Stadium crowd was electrified for this must-win Wild Card Game 3 for the New York Yankees, and they were not disappointed. The Yankees had not won a playoff series against the Boston Red Sox since current manager Aaron Boone hit an 11th-inning home run to win the Yankees the pennant, and the dry spell ended with this performance.

The game was defined in the beginning by a highly-anticipated showdown between Red Sox rookie pitcher Connelly Early and Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler , who are 23 and 24 years old, respectively. Early entered the game with a 2.33 regular season ERA, having pitched only 19.1 innings in the major leagues before this postseason outing. He became the youngest pitcher to start a postseason game for the Red Sox since Babe Ruth in 1916. He finished this outing with a 7.36 postseason ERA over 3.2 innings pitched.

23-year-old Connelly Early will be the youngest pitcher to start a postseason game for the Red Sox since 21-year-old Babe Ruth in 1916

Babe Ruth pitched all 14 innings of a 2-1 Red Sox win over the Brooklyn Robins in Game 2 of the World Series. He threw 145 pitches

(h/t… pic.twitter.com/9kRrJJPVId
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) October 2, 2025

Schlittler had out-pitched fellow Yankee started Luis Gil in the regular season to secure his starting spot in this third Wild Card game. Schlittler routinely showed off his stunning velocity in the matchup, amping up to triple digits time and time again over a superhuman outing. His fastest pitch since his callup, clocking in at 100.5 mph, came during this game.

The Yankees enjoyed a productive fourth inning with four runs batted in off Early, taking the game up 4-0, a score that held until the very end. Cody Bellinger doubled, Giancarlo Stanton walked, and Amed Roasrio singled to score Bellinger for the first run of the inning, Stanton to second. Jazz Chisholm singled, then Anthony Volpe singled to score Stanton. Austin Wells grounded into a fielder's choice and Chisholm and Rosario scored on a fielding error that ultimately cost the Sox the series.

Schlittler received a standing ovation from the sellout crowd when he came out for the top of the eighth inning. In a highlight moment at the top of the eighth, Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon took a front flip tumble into the Red Sox dugout to make a play:

RYAN MCMAHON!!!!! #POSTSEASON pic.twitter.com/1rES3HgKs4
— MLB (@MLB) October 3, 2025

Schlittler's final line for the evening: a stunning 12 strikeouts with just five hits, zero walks and zero earned runs over eight innings pitched.

SOME HISTORIC SCHLITT FROM CAM TONIGHT.

He had one of the GREATEST playoff starts in Yankees' franchise HISTORY. pic.twitter.com/F1OD9GdYde
— Fireside Yankees (@FiresideYankees) October 3, 2025

Yankees closer David Bednar came in for the ninth inning, and pitched a clean inning, enabling the Yankees to keep playing baseball for a little while longer.

With this, the Yankees move on to their ALDS showdown with the AL East Champion Toronto Blue Jays in a five game series.

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