AL Wild Card Series kicks off with the Yankees hosting the Red Sox in a three-game set at Yankee Stadium. New York earned the best late-season run in baseball (31-12 since Aug. 11) and closed with eight straight wins, giving them momentum as they chase a first-round upset of Boston. The Red Sox counter with a dangerous lineup and a bullpen that finished among the league’s best in ERA, FIP, and fWAR, setting the stage for a tightly contested matchup.

Key bats set the tone for Boston, especially if Roman Anthony returns and Anthony’s absence left a noticeable gap in scoring. Brayan Bello and Garrett Crochet anchor the pitching staff, with Story, Duran, Rafaela, and Bregman providing veteran punch. Yankees counter with Max Fried and Carlos Rodón, two pitchers who flipped their trajectories late in the season, and a potential Game 3 shakeup featuring Cam Schlittler as the rookie sensation tries to carry them through a do-or-die final game.

The series hinges on a strong bullpen misdirection: Boston’s late-inning duo of Whitlock and Chapman, plus middle-relief from Weissert and Wilson, versus New York’s depth behind their two aces and a young core that has answered the bell in October. For fantasy players, late-inning arms, lineup protection, and the patience to ride hot streaks will decide where the upside lives in this rivalry.