The Red Sox, who finished third in the American League East, will take on the New York Yankees in a wild card series slated to begin on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium. Here's what you need to know so far.
After beating the Detroit Tigers on Sunday afternoon in the regular season finale, the Boston Red Sox officially wrapped up the No. 5 seed in the American League playoffs.
It's the first playoff berth for Boston since 2021 and will pit them against their division-rivals, the New York Yankees, in the best-of-three wild card series. The Yankees advanced to the World Series last season, losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games.
Boston will travel to New York, as the entire series will be played at Yankee Stadium, with the winner advancing to the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays.
While we don't know the timing yet of a potential Game 3, we know that games one and two will both begin at 6:08 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Red Sox-Yankees at a glance
The Red Sox went 9-4 against New York this season, including a 5-2 record in New York. While that doesn't mean everything, it should give the Red Sox some confidence that they can go in and play well in a hostile environment.
Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran (16) reacts to his one-run home run during the eighth inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Eric Canha-Imagn ImagesGame 1 starter
Boston has already tabbed left-hander Garrett Crochet as its Game 1 starter, and that's really the only choice to make. One of the most dominant arms in baseball, Crochet led the majors in strikeouts (255) and innings pitched (205.1) this season. He went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and will garner serious Cy Young consideration.
On the other side
The Yankees will counter with Max Fried, who was signed to an eight-year contract in the offseason. The 31-year-old put together a fantastic year in place of the injured Gerrit Cole, who missed the entire season with Tommy John surgery.
He'll also warrant Cy Young consideration after going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA. He struck out 189 batters in 195.1 innings, owning a 1.10 WHIP.
Other news and notes
- The other wild card series features the Detroit Tigers at the Cleveland Guardians.
- In 2024, both road wild card teams won their matchups, with the Tigers beating the Houston Astros and the Kansas City Royals topping the Baltimore Orioles.
- The Red Sox have not announced their Game 2 starter, but left-hander Carlos Rodon is listed for New York.
- The Red Sox last won the World Series in 2018; The Yankees in 2009.
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