What you need to know about the Wild Card Series matchups
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Who is ready for October baseball? Well, we won't need to wait for the start of a new month in order to get some postseason action since the MLB playoffs begin Tuesday. That's when all four of the Wild Card Series presented by AbbVie will get underway.
Here is what you need to know about this matchup, while notes about each other series will be added as the bracket becomes finalized.
All stats are updated through Thursday.
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AMERICAN LEAGUE
(5) Red Sox at (4) Yankees
Schedule
Game 1: Tuesday on NBC/Peacock/NBCSN
Game 2: Wednesday on NBC/Peacock/NBCSN
Game 3 (if necessary): Thursday on NBC/Peacock/NBCSN
Season series: The Yankees went 7-6 against their archrival this season, including 4-2 at Yankee Stadium, which is the host site for this three-game series.
Postseason history: This will be the seventh postseason series between these two foes. The Yankees won the most recent meeting, triumphing in the 2025 AL Wild Card Series, two games to one.
Keys to the matchup: The Rivalry was a tale of two halves this season. The Yankees won four of the first five games before the Red Sox found their stride, then Boston swept four home games in June just before its historic 15-game winning streak. New York wrapped things up by taking three of four back at home at the end of August, outscoring the Sox, 26-9. The Bronx Bombers used their bread and butter -- the home run -- to overpower their rivals. But both clubs can really spin it, making for an intriguing playoff matchup. The Yankees and Red Sox are both in the top five in MLB in team ERA.
Player to watch: Aaron Judge. The Captain has had a frustrating year, missing 84 games over the summer with a rib injury. He returned in early September, only to head back to the IL with a calf strain after seven games. Judge is planning to play in the Wild Card Series, but nothing is certain. Even if he hasn’t been his typical MVP self this season when on the field, and even if he’s not at 100% in the postseason, Judge will still transform the Yankees’ lineup. Much maligned for his postseason performance over the years, Judge shook that trend in 2025. He hit .500 in seven games, including four hits in three games against the Red Sox.