Yankees 4, Red Sox 0 in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card sprinted on a fourth-inning error-fueled rally, turning a solid rookie start from Connelly Early into a crushing collection of miscues. Cody Bellinger sparked the inning with a bloop, then a string of soft hits and a misplayed ball opened the door for four runs. Boston’s defensive woes—the season’s leader in errors—proved decisive as New York advanced to face Toronto in the ALDS.

Boston, without Roman Anthony’s bat in the lineup due to an oblique, bowed out after an energetic but imperfect 2025 window. Alex Cora lamented the misplays, while the org. pointed to a young core and the best farm system in baseball as signs of a hopeful future. The Yankees move on, a testy indicator of how defense can tilt postseason fates.

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.

The Red Sox begin their playoff push in the Bronx with Garrett Crochet set to start Game 1, while Lucas Giolito is sidelined by an elbow issue and Brayan Bello is slotted for Game 2. Crochet has dominated Aaron Judge this season, fanning him 10 times in 13 at-bats, including two homers by Judge. With Roman Anthony and Marcelo Mayer in Fort Myers, Boston will lean on depth and a tempo-setter on the mound to navigate a tight best-of-three.

Ticket markets buzz as official outlets limit sales regionally and resellers supply the crowd in New York. Historically, Boston has pushed the Yankees in playoffs, but the all-time playoff ledger sits even at 12-12, making this trio of games a momentum swing for October and a test of rotation depth and bullpen resilience.