Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) throws to the plate in the third 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 Make MLB History With Wild Card Victory

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Oct 3, 2025 7:00 AM ET

The New York Yankees eliminated their arch-rivals , the Boston Red Sox from playoff contention with an exhilarating three-game series from Yankee Stadium. While the Pinstripes dropped the first game due to ace pitching from Red Sox lefty Garret Crochet, they dominated in games two and three, winning the series and a ticket to the divisional round. In doing so, the Bronx Bombers made a little history, too.

According to a post by the league on X, the social media platform previously known as Twitter, the Yankees are the first team to come back from a Game 1 loss and win the Wild Card series during the current iteration of the format.

The @Yankees are the first team under the current Wild Card format to lose Game 1 and go on to win the series #Postseason pic.twitter.com/RAybGjwbWT
— MLB (@MLB) October 3, 2025

The Wild Card series fast-tracks the top two division winners in each league to the divisional round, while the worst division winner and three wild card entrants battle it out. The first Wild Card team, with the fourth best seed, takes on the fifth-best team, like the Yankees and Red Sox this season, while the final division winner takes on the sixth-ranked third Wild Card team.

This edition of the Wild Card series is relatively new, starting with the 2022 season. From 2012 to 2021 (but not in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic) the round involved two Wild Card teams per league playing one game that sent the victor to the divisional round against the top seeded team.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

While the format is only in its fourth year, the Yankees have cemented their names in the record books as the first — and for now, only — team to erase a deficit in the Wild Card series. Next, the Pinstripes will go on to the divisional round, where they face the best team in the AL, the Toronto Blue Jays, in a seven-game series between Rogers Centre and Yankee Stadium.

While Toronto secured the top spot in the American League, New York has the same regular season record, and nearly upset their Canadian neighbors for the command of the AL East and first place in the AL overall. The Yankees will have to give it their all to keep their playoff hopes alive and continue on to the AL Championship Series.

Make sure to bookmark Yankees On SI to get all your daily New York Yankees news, interviews, breakdowns and more!