NEW YORK – One year later, they’re right back at it. The Yankees are preparing to host the Red Sox for another American League Wild Card Series, renewing baseball’s most enduring rivalry in a best-of-three showdown.
Tuesday’s Game 1 delivers a rematch of the pairing that took place in the Bronx last October, when Cam Schlittler struck out 12 over eight scoreless innings to quiet the online chirpers and end Boston’s season, propelling his Yankees into the AL Division Series.
This time, the prize is a trip to Tropicana Field, where the Rays will be waiting to face the winner. These Yankees would gladly sign up for that.
“It's special,” Schlittler said on Monday. “Being able to get that experience last year in Game 3, it's a good feeling to go out there and get the first one.”
You don’t need to flip back to Bucky Dent to find the latest great comeback. These Red Sox seemed to have one foot on the golf course in late June, a managerial change already having taken place as they faced a 15 1/2-game deficit in the division on June 19. They rescued their season, beginning with a four-game sweep of the Yankees at Fenway Park from June 25-28.
Chad Tracy, who replaced Alex Cora as Boston’s manager on April 25, was a big part of that turnaround. Now he will get to manage in the playoffs for the first time.
“I’ve been watching Red Sox-Yankees since I was a kid. It’s Red Sox-Yankees,” said Tracy. “It’s no secret as far as the rivalry that has existed over the years for a very long time. That’s obvious to everybody. I know there’s always a little extra when those two teams meet. Beyond that, I’m not putting much more into that other than just preparing and getting ready for that series.”
When is the game and how can I tune in?
First pitch for Game 1 of the Red Sox-Yankees Wild Card Series is set for 8 p.m. ET on Tuesday at Yankee Stadium. The game will be broadcast on NBC and Peacock.
The Wild Card Series will be available in Spanish on Universo, while Univision Radio will provide Spanish language audio coverage. ESPN Radio will provide live national coverage of all 2026 MLB Postseason games, beginning with the Wild Card Series.
Who are the starting pitchers?
Red Sox: The Sox will go with rookie lefty Payton Tolle (9-6, 3.03) in Game 1, with veteran righty Sonny Gray (18-5, 2.72 ERA) set to go in Game 2. If it goes to a Game 3, it'll be Ranger Suarez.
Tolle has become a fireballing fan favorite in Boston, just as likely to strike someone out on a 98 mph heater as he is to wrap someone into a bear hug. The Red Sox have no reservations about putting the 23-year-old into the hostile territory Yankee Stadium figures to be.
Gray, at 36, is having one of the best seasons of his career in his first year with Boston. He easily leads the Red Sox in quality starts with 20. The Yankees are one of his former teams, and the only one he didn’t perform well for in his career.
Suarez is a pure pitcher in this age of velocity, staying in the low 90s with his fastball and painting the corners when he’s at his best. The postseason has always brought out the best in Suarez, who in his Phillies years went 4-1 with a 1.48 ERA in 11 October appearances, including eight starts.
Yankees: Starting pitching is the Yanks’ greatest strength going into this postseason. Schlittler (14-6, 1.95 ERA) built upon his 2025 playoff breakout to establish his place among the league’s most dominant young arms. The Walpole, Mass., product relishes taking on the Sox, for whom he once cheered, and will likely use whatever vitriol he can find on social media as potential rage fuel.
Max Fried (5-5, 2.80 ERA) will follow in Game 2, with Gerrit Cole (10-9, 3.61 ERA) in line for Game 3. Fried has faced Boston twice this year, including eight scoreless innings on April 22 at Fenway Park. He last pitched Sept. 22 vs. the Rays, allowing four runs in 6 2/3 innings. Carlos Rodón (7-3, 2.67 ERA) is likely to be available out of the bullpen as he prepares for a potential ALDS Game 1.
What might the starting lineups look like?
Red Sox: Schlittler has been a big-time nemesis for the Red Sox, dating back to his coming-out party in the playoffs last year. But Boston did get a jolt from Caleb Durbin in the form of a go-ahead homer over the Green Monster against the Yankees’ ace on June 25, the win that started the 32-5 run by the Red Sox. Recently, Boston hitters have worked overtime on the Trajekt pitching machine, which can mimic any Major League starting pitcher. The Sox have struggled offensively for much of September, particularly with runners in scoring position. But they’ve also lacked multiple key lineup pieces at various parts of the month.
1. Roman Anthony, DH
2. Ceddanne Rafaela, CF
3. Wilyer Abreu, RF
4. Willson Contreras, 1B
5. Adley Rutschman, C
6. Caleb Durbin, 3B
7. Jarren Duran, LF
8. Trevor Story, SS
9. Nick Sogard, 2B
Yankees: Manager Aaron Boone said the Yankees view Tolle as “closer to neutral” in terms of splits, but they also tried to load their lineup with right-handed bats when they faced him in June. One interesting call will come at second base, where Boone said a platoon is “very much in play.” Would the Yankees start Anthony Volpe, a right-handed hitter, over Jazz Chisholm Jr.?
1. Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
2. Cody Bellinger, LF
3. Heliot Ramos, RF
4. Ben Rice, DH
5. George Lombard Jr., SS
6. Spencer Jones, CF
7. Anthony Volpe, 2B
8. José Caballero, 3B
9. Austin Wells, C
How will the bullpens line up after the starter?
Red Sox: Aroldis Chapman, a former Yankee, continues to be one of the elite closers in the game at 38 years old. He has one of the league’s best setup men in front of him in righty Garrett Whitlock. In a significant development, the Sox placed their other key high-leverage reliever -- righty Tyron Guerrero, who frequents triple digits with his fastball -- back on the 15-day IL with a right shoulder and lat strain on Sunday’s final day of the regular season. Brayan Bello is the Swiss Army knife of the bullpen, available for bulk relief and also taking down a couple of innings when necessary. The most intriguing roster question for the Red Sox heading into Tuesday is if Garrett Crochet, who started the season as the ace but hasn’t pitched since April 25, is activated for this series.
Yankees: David Bednar finished his first full season in the Bronx with 35 saves and a 2.50 ERA in 63 appearances, the closer ahead of a relief crew that leaned heavily upon Paul Blackburn, Brent Headrick and Tim Hill in the late innings. The Yankees didn’t make a bullpen acquisition at the Trade Deadline, but they added pieces down the stretch by picking up Michael Fulmer and John Schreiber, both of whom could be called upon for valuable outs. Will Warren is also converting into a relief role and could provide length. Ryan Weathers appears to be in play as a potential bullpen piece, adding a big arm to the mix.
Any injuries of note?
Red Sox: Contreras got smoked on the knuckle between his right ring finger and pinkie on Sept. 17, but took two at-bats in the final game of the regular season on Sunday and should be good to go. Guerrero is a big loss in the bullpen for this series. Justin Slaten, a key leverage reliever for Boston the past three seasons, is also out with a right flexor injury.
Mickey Gasper got knocked out of the postseason in Game No. 160 with a right biceps strain. He was a feel-good story down the stretch, belting 10 homers in 84 at-bats dating back to Aug. 17.
Masataka Yoshida, one of the few Boston hitters who performed against the Yankees in last year’s postseason series, won’t factor in this year. He’s been out since Aug. 16 with a hamstring strain and likely won’t make it back this season.
Yankees: No story has occupied more space recently than Aaron Judge’s right soleus strain, which generally would require weeks on the injured list. But this is the postseason, and Judge said he intends to be ready; now he just needs to convince the medical staff. As of Monday afternoon, Boone said only that the Yankees were continuing to monitor Judge's recovery and that his status for Game 1 remained unclear. Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham have both been hitting and running. Weathers is out with a flexor strain but hopes to return.
Who is hot and who is not?
Red Sox: Anthony has understandably had some ups and downs after missing nearly four months with a right hand/wrist injury, but he slashed .333/.375/.633 in his final eight games of the season. From a pitching standpoint, Bello has been a force since he returned from the Minors, posting a 2.11 ERA in 14 appearances, including three starts.
Rutschman has had a hard time getting his bat going since joining the Red Sox at the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline but had a two-hit game in Game 1 of Friday’s doubleheader against the Cubs. Abreu is notoriously streaky and he’s been mostly cold in September (.207/.286/.329, one homer, six RBIs). If past history is any indication, he could heat up again in a hurry.
Yankees: Rice hit his team-leading 40th and 41st home runs on Sept. 23 vs. Tampa Bay, claiming a share of the AL lead until Pete Alonso passed him on Friday. Rice, a Cohasset, Mass., product, has belted six homers in September. Bellinger has been productive all month, tying Jones (14) for second on the team in RBIs behind Lombard (16). García enjoyed a productive stretch after arriving in a midseason trade but recently endured a long hitless streak. Ryan McMahon has struggled to produce all year.
Anything else fans might want to know?
This marks the seventh time the rivalry has gone to the postseason stage – all since 1999. Fittingly, the teams have split the first six matchups.
The Yankees had the series edge over Boston this season, winning seven of 13 contests. The Yanks swept three games at Fenway in April and split a pair in June, then were swept in a four-game series in Boston later that month. New York took three of four from the Sox in late August, their most recent meeting.
Though Anthony was a big part of the ‘25 Red Sox team, he missed the postseason with a left oblique strain. He is Boston’s leadoff hitter and could have a big impact on this series. During the World Baseball Classic for Team USA, Anthony displayed the ability to perform on a big stage.