The Yankees recently confirmed who’s taking the mound for the best-of-three American League Wild Card Series against the Red Sox.
Cy Young frontrunner Cam Schlittler will take the bump for Game 1 in the Bronx to kick off the MLB postseason. Max Fried will hopefully help the Yankees advance in Game 2, and if needed, Gerrit Cole will close out the series on Thursday.
This rotation isn’t too far off from our earlier predictions on who makes the postseason roster, and it may be the best-case scenario for the Pinstripes. Hypothetically, if the Yankees ultimately overcome Boston in the Wild Card Series, Schlittler will be available to pitch for Game 2 against the Rays in the ALDS.
The 25-year-old righty made his postseason debut in Game 3 of the 2025 Wild Card Series against the Red Sox and made a splash with a breakout performance on the big stage in the 4-0 victory, allowing five hits and striking out 12 in eight shutout frames. He made his second appearance against the Blue Jays in Game 4 of the ALDS, allowing eight hits and giving up four runs in 6.1 innings.
Fried, who finished the regular season with a 2.80 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, has strong numbers against Boston since joining the Yankees. Facing the Red Sox in six games, including the postseason, Fried posted a 1.24 ERA and 1.16 WHIP with 41 strikeouts in 36.1 innings. A 2021 World Series champion with Atlanta who was excellent in their championship clincher, Fried threw 6.1 shutout innings against Boston in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series last year.
Cole, who was limited to 22 games and finished the regular season with a 3.61 ERA and 1.10 WHIP, will look to continue the Yankees’ postseason run in the Wild Card Series finale. If the Yankees sweep Boston in two games, he could be the starter for Game 1 of the ALDS. Fourth starter Carlos Rodón—who earned well-deserved chatter of a possible start in his own right with a 1.89 ERA in his last seven starts—would likely be in play for that outing if this series goes three games, though it’s possible that the southpaw gets used out of the bullpen at some point as well. Obviously, the Yankees have to worry about getting past Boston first before they can fully plan for anything else.
You definitely won’t want to miss Schlittler face off against either standout rookie Payton Tolle or veteran right-hander Sonny Gray in a highly anticipated rivalry matchup to kickstart a potential long run into the postseason. First pitch is scheduled for 8 p.m. EST on Tuesday from Yankee Stadium.
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