Boston just punched its ticket to the AL Wild Card series on Friday, snatching up the No. 5 seed with a tight 4-3 win over the Chicago Cubs. That win set the stage for what everyone in baseball saw coming since August 1: another Yankees-Red Sox AL Wild Card rematch. This is the seventh time these two have battled it out in the postseason since 1999, with each team grabbing three series wins so far. Talk about a rubber match for the ages!
Yankees’ Power Arms and Recent Form
The Yankees’ pitching staff is seriously stacked, allowing fewer runs than anyone else this season. They pulled that off even with Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, and Carlos Rodón combining for about 40 missed starts! Now, with that ace trio plus Cam Schlittler all healthy and firing for almost a month, that rotation is a legit terror for any lineup. And don’t even get me started on the bullpen. David Bednar, Paul Blackburn, and Brent Headrick have been absolutely unflappable since June, rocking a combined 1.46 ERA over 154.1 innings of work. Sure, their October experience is thin Bednar with six innings, Blackburn with 1.1, and Headrick with zero but they’ve been massive in New York hitting over 90 wins. Meanwhile, that Red Sox squad that looked unstoppable from late June to early August? They’re nowhere to be found, going 22-23 in their last 45 games and averaging a weak 3.8 runs per game. Plus, the Yankees get home-field advantage, and both Ben Rice and Cody Bellinger are heating up big time over the last month.
Boston’s Pitching and Offensive Hope
But hey, don’t count Boston out just yet. While New York has allowed the fewest runs, the Red Sox are right there, giving up only 3.8 runs per game their lowest mark since 1968. Their rotation, with Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez, and Peyton Tolle, can absolutely hang with Schlittler and the Yankees’ crew. In the late innings, if Aroldis Chapman’s recent lat soreness stays away, his one-two punch with Garrett Whitlock has been a force to be reckoned with. Garrett Crochet might even join the bullpen party, and Brayan Bello is a fantastic bulk relief option, boasting a 2.28 ERA since the beginning of July. Offensively, Trevor Story is crushing it since coming off the IL in late August, and Roman Anthony, back since August 30, has been making a positive impact at the top of the lineup. If Ceddanne Rafaela can shake off his recent leg muscle strains and get back to normal, this Boston offense should scrape together enough runs in what’s shaping up to be a series of pitching duels.
The Judge Bombshell
But the biggest question mark hanging over this entire series? Aaron Judge. His calf injury has everyone wondering if he’ll even be on the Wild Card roster. On Tuesday, Yankees manager Aaron Boone said point blank, “We’re planning on him not being a part of that (the wild card series).” Then, just a day later, Judge dropped his own bomb, saying he plans to play in Game 1. Talk about drama!
So, who wins this rubber match in one of baseball’s biggest rivalries? With Judge’s status still up in the air and both teams looking to assert dominance, this Wild Card series is gonna be an absolute must-watch. Grab your snacks, because this one’s going to be wild.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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