For the first time since an epic back-and-forth bout in the 2025 American League Wild Card Series, the Yankees and the Red Sox will do battle.
New York travels to Boston for a three-game set on Tuesday at Fenway Park. The Yankees (13-9) just bludgeoned the Royals in a three-game sweep, while the Red Sox (9-13) split four games with the Tigers and have started to rebound after a 2-8 start.
Here’s what you need to know as one of the best rivalries in sports gets underway.
The schedule
Tuesday: 6:45 p.m. ET
Watch: TBS, YES, NESN+
Probables: RHP Luis Gil (0-1, 7.00 ERA) vs. LHP Connelly Early (1-0, 2.29 ERA)
Early gets his first shot against the Yankees since starting Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series. The young lefty started out excellently, cruising through three innings before New York -- aided by some shoddy defense -- posted four runs in the fourth and handed Early the loss. Early has started his 2026 with four starts in which he has allowed two or fewer earned runs.
Gil gave up three Angels home runs and four earned runs his last time out across five innings. The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year is still looking to put it together after an April 10 recall from Triple-A.
Wednesday: 6:45 p.m. ET
Watch: MLB Network, Amazon Prime Video, NESN
Probables: LHP Max Fried (2-1, 2.97 ERA) vs. LHP Ranger Suarez (1-1, 3.22 ERA)
Suarez, Boston’s biggest offseason acquisition on a free-agent contract of $130 million over five years, takes the ball against Fried in a marquee matchup. Fried has been his usual steady self, while Suarez has posted 14 scoreless innings and 10 strikeouts in his past two starts.
Thursday: 6:10 p.m. ET
Watch: FOX, YES, NESN+
Probables: RHP Cam Schlittler (2-1, 1.95 ERA) vs. RHP Brayan Bello (1-2, 6.75 ERA)
Schlittler took the win over Early in last October’s pivotal Game 3 of the Wild Card round, tossing an absolutely dominant eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts. The fireballing 25-year-old Massachusetts native makes his first career start at Fenway Park, looking to continue a hot start to 2026.
Bello, on the other hand, has allowed at least two runs in each of his five starts and has struggled with home runs, giving up a deep fly in four games.
Who’s hot and who’s not?
• Do we really need to put Aaron Judge on this list? The reigning AL MVP has nine homers and 16 RBIs with a .928 OPS, though a .232 average isn’t quite the .331 that won him a batting title in 2025.
• If you don’t know about Ben Rice yet, you need to study up. He’s been one of baseball’s best hitters, smashing eight homers and six doubles on a .338/.476/.800 slash line. Yes, he’s slugging .800.
• Outfielder Trent Grisham is carrying a slight .167 batting average after his career-best 2025 with 34 long balls. But he went deep on Sunday against the Royals and has an xwOBA (.377) that suggests things could turn soon.
• Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras has been the club’s best hitter, slashing .274/.404/.466 with four homers and 12 RBIs. The fiery Contreras gets his first taste of the rivalry after an offseason trade with the Cardinals. A dust-up with the Brewers earlier this season is already an example of why he might fit right in this week. He even spoke about how he looked forward to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry right after he was acquired.
• Outfielder Wilyer Abreu hasn’t been far behind Contreras, boasting an .833 OPS with three homers, a triple and four doubles.
• Boston is still waiting for budding star Roman Anthony to get hot out of the leadoff spot. He has just one homer on a .234 average, though he’s added three doubles and a triple. Like Grisham, Anthony is crushing the ball and should see better results soon. His 92.8 mph average exit velocity is in the 88th percentile among qualified batters.