The New York Yankees defeated the Boston Red Sox 4-0 in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series, securing the series win. Cam Schlittler will start for the Yankees against Payton Tolle, making his first MLB appearance of the season.
Key points
Yankees defeated Red Sox 4-0 in Game 3 of AL Wild Card Series
Cam Schlittler starts for Yankees; Payton Tolle for Red Sox
Schlittler has a 2-1 record and 1.95 ERA in 2026
Yankees aim for a three-game sweep at Fenway Park
Yankees lead the AL East with a seven-game advantage over last-place Boston
New York YankeesBoston Red SoxCam SchlittlerPayton Tolle
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees celebrates with his parents after defeating the Boston Red Sox in game three of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - OCTOBER 02: (NEW YORK DAILIES OUT) Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees celebrates with his parents after defeating the Boston Red Sox in game three of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium on October 02, 2025 in New York City. The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 4-0. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees have already locked up the series win, but Thursday evening presents a bigger opportunity. New York enters Fenway Park looking for its first three-game sweep there since September 2021, and a chance to keep momentum rolling against their longtime rivals.
The formula through the first two games has been simple and effective: dominant pitching paired with one right-handed bat carrying the offense each night. On Tuesday, Luis Gil led the charge and Giancarlo Stanton powered the attack in a 4-0 victory, going 2-for-4 with a home run, double, three RBIs, and scoring the Yankeesâ other run. On Wednesday, Max Fried tossed a gem and Amed Rosario took the baton in a 4-1 win, going 1-for-1 with a homer, a walk, and a sacrifice fly, collectively accounting for all four RBIs.
Now it will be Cam Schlittlerâs turn to try to keep the Red Sox run total drier than an unsoaked bean. The Walpole, Massachusetts native gets the start close to home after becoming a postseason breakout story last October with his Wild Card heroics against these very Red Sox. It is another spotlight moment for the young right-hander, this time in front of a at Fenway.
Plenty has been said about how Boston fans have treated Schlittler and his family this week. Frankly, I am surprised any of them were willing to pipe up after his playoff performance last October. Some still have, though, so here is hoping Schlittler gives them another reason to go quiet tonight.
Schlittler will face a Boston lineup that is still struggling to start the season. The Red Sox rank 26th in runs scored and 23rd in batting average. Schlittler has dazzled through his first five starts of 2026, posting a 2-1 record with a 1.95 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 27.2 innings.
Boston had originally lined up for this game, but his scheduled start was pushed back a day after landed on the injured list. That move could open the door for top prospect to get the ball. Tolle nearly made the rotation out of spring training before losing the final spot to Tuesdayâs starter, .
Tolle is an imposing presence at 6-foot-6 and 250 pounds. The big left-hander was selected in the second round out of TCU in 2024. This will be his first MLB appearance of the season. Last year, Tolle got his first taste of the majors, making three starts and appearing in seven games overall as a September call-up.
Tolle was a two-way star in college but has focused solely on pitching as a professional. He features an upper-90s fastball and mixes in a slider, changeup, and cutter. He has overwhelmed minor-league hitters, ranking third in strikeout rate (37 percent) and fourth in strikeout-to-walk ratio (5.8) among pitchers with at least 90 innings.
The Yankees lineup card has a new look tonight. gets the evening off, and with his usual middle-of-the-order presence out of the mix, the batting order takes on a different flow.
Other than perhaps , no offseason addition has outperformed expectations quite like Rosario, and tonight he gets the leadoff assignment. He is followed by , , Stanton, and , giving the Yankees a top half loaded with right-handed thunder while Riceâs left-handed bat breaks it up in the middle.
Call it the Righties and Rice configuration. With Boston turning to a left-hander, the Yankees are leaning into matchup advantages, and the hot hand of Rosario sits right at the top. Who will be the hero tonight?
A series at Fenway is never routine and sweeps there are never easy. If the Yankees can get one more sharp effort on the mound and another timely performance from someone at the plate, they will head to atop the American League East and with a seven-game lead over last-place Boston in the standings.
**How to watch**
**Location:** Fenway Park â , MA
**First pitch:** 6:10 pm ET
**TV broadcast:** YES, NESN, Fox/FS1
**Radio broadcast:** WFAN 660/101.9 FM, WADO 1280 (NYY), WEEI 93.7 (BOS)
**Online stream:** MLB.tv (out-of-market only)
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Q&A
What was the score of the Yankees vs. Red Sox game on October 2, 2025?
The Yankees won the game 4-0 against the Red Sox.
Who are the starting pitchers for the Yankees and Red Sox in their October 2, 2025 matchup?
Cam Schlittler is starting for the Yankees, while Payton Tolle is making his first MLB start for the Red Sox.
What are Cam Schlittler's stats for the 2026 season before the game against the Red Sox?
Cam Schlittler has a 2-1 record with a 1.95 ERA and 36 strikeouts in 27.2 innings pitched.
How did the Yankees perform in the first two games of the series against the Red Sox?
The Yankees won both games, with scores of 4-0 and 4-1.
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