Composite story
Yankees rout Red Sox 9-0 in wild-card opener
New YorkPublished 30 Sep 2026
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Tdorante10 / Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0 · source
Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice, both from Massachusetts, led the Yankees past the Red Sox in Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. Aaron Judge is out with a calf injury.
Placeholder: a short composite summary of how these sources overlap will be written here.
Disputed opinions
None yet.
Schlittler, Rice lead Yankees' rout of Red Sox in Game 1
Published 30 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
Aaron Boone removed Cam Schlittler with one out in the seventh.
Cam Schlittler is a Massachusetts native.
Ben Rice was the designated hitter.
Ben Rice grew up about a 45-minute drive from Fenway Park.
Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice are from the Boston area.
Cam Schlittler struck out 239 batters.
Cam Schlittler pitched 193 2/3 innings.
The Yankees drafted them one year apart.
Ben Rice hit eight more home runs than in his first two seasons combined.
This was Cam Schlittler's first full major-league season.
Cam Schlittler has allowed two earned runs against the Red Sox.
Giancarlo Stanton missed most of the year.
Wilyer Abreu singled on Schlittler's 10th pitch of the inning.
Aaron Boone said there was no debate about sending Schlittler out.
George Lombard Jr. said that once he saw Schlittler's stuff, Schlittler just had to keep doing his thing and the Yankees would score.
Cam Schlittler got Willson Contreras to line out.
Cam Schlittler threw the curveball on 27% of his pitches Tuesday.
The curveball's whiff rate Tuesday was 57%.
CC Sabathia threw 120 and 121 pitches in back-to-back starts in 2012.
Cam Schlittler contrasted three fastballs up in the zone with curveballs below it.
Cam Schlittler threw his curveball 9.8% of the time in the regular season.
The curveball had a 44.2% whiff rate in the regular season.
Ben Rice is the sixth player in major-league history, and the first Yankee, with at least four hits and six RBI in a postseason game.
Erik Miller threw a sinker down the middle.
Cam Schlittler said the curveball is a pitch he has been able to rely on.
It was the Yankees' largest shutout postseason win since the 1960 World Series.
Ben Rice had four hits and the Red Sox had three.
Cam Schlittler said he is confident using the curveball more.
Opinion
ESPN called the outing masterful.
ESPN said the crowd was euphoric, and perhaps stupefied, after Cam Schlittler overwhelmed the Red Sox again.
ESPN called Ben Rice's 2026 a breakout.
ESPN said they were overlooked and have become homegrown cornerstones.
ESPN said Cam Schlittler is fueled by animosity from the fan base he grew up in.
ESPN said the Red Sox were again no match for Cam Schlittler.
Anthony Volpe called Ben Rice a superstar.
ESPN said doing it against the Red Sox made the night sweeter.
Yanks ride Massachusetts natives Schlittler, Rice to Game 1 win over Sox
Published 30 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
Teams that led a best-of-three wild-card series 1-0 have won it 21 of 24 times, including 17 sweeps.
Home teams have won all nine of those series, including eight sweeps.
Cam Schlittler grew up rooting for Boston.
Aaron Boone said it is one win and the Yankees have the blinders on.
Aaron Boone said that if the Yankees play their game, they can beat anyone.
Cam Schlittler's first pitch was 100.6 mph.
Cam Schlittler said he has become good at keeping receipts.
Cam Schlittler said he thinks they learned their lesson last year.
Spencer Jones said Cam Schlittler was nasty.
Spencer Jones said he could tell after the first pitches that Schlittler was ready.
Cam Schlittler leaned on his four-seamer and curveball.
Austin Wells said the curveball looked good in the bullpen, so they leaned on it.
Cam Schlittler said the clubhouse already has an MVP in Aaron Judge, who has won three.
Austin Wells said Schlittler went after them and got ahead.
Austin Wells's second-inning RBI single was the only run off Payton Tolle.
Cam Schlittler said he would not call himself an MVP.
Cam Schlittler said they would not be here without Matt Hyde.
Ben Rice homered on a 96.8 mph sinker.
It was Ben Rice's second career postseason home run.
Cam Schlittler said it is good to embrace the fans because they trust him.
Cam Schlittler said he and Ben Rice love it.
Ben Rice was on deck.
Ben Rice chose the Yankees early and came back from Fenway with a Yankees cap.
As a child, Ben Rice wrote "Yankees Rule!" on Pesky's Pole.
Ben Rice said that is pretty tough to beat.
Ben Rice said coming through in a playoff game feels pretty awesome.
Opinion
MLB.com said they delivered and fractured more New England hearts.
MLB.com said the online rage bait was less intense and that Schlittler still used what he found.
MLB.com called this a strong sequel to the outing that sent Boston home last year.
Aaron Boone called them a confident group.
Spencer Jones judged Schlittler nasty.
MLB.com said he refused to ease up.
Austin Wells called Cam Schlittler incredible.
Austin Wells said Schlittler went after the Red Sox and got ahead.
Austin Wells said that was a big deal for Schlittler and the Yankees.
MLB.com said the hometown connection made the night sweeter.
Ben Rice called the matchup fun.
Ben Rice judged the night pretty tough to beat.
MLB.com said Schlittler and Rice are leaving their mark and put the club in position for more October memories.
Yankees rout Red Sox 9-0 behind Schlittler, Rice in Game 1
Published 30 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
Aaron Judge is out with a calf injury.
The Yankees drafted both out of Boston's backyard.
Cam Schlittler led the American League with a 1.95 ERA.
Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice went to college in New England.
No Red Sox runner reached second base against him.
Ben Rice said wearing a Yankees jersey on first-grade picture day probably got some weird looks.
Ben Rice wore a Yankees jersey for a first-grade picture.
Cam Schlittler retired 13 straight before a two-out walk in the fifth.
Ben Rice said a solid game against them is pretty cool.
Austin Wells batted ninth.
CC Sabathia threw 121 pitches in the 2012 ALDS against Baltimore.
The major-league high this season was 120 pitches, by Dylan Cease for Toronto at Boston in July.
Cam Schlittler allowed a one-out single in the seventh.
Ben Rice's solo homer traveled 423 feet to straightaway center in Monument Park.
It was the Yankees' fifth postseason shutout since 2002.
The Yankees led the majors in ERA this year for the first time since 1957.
Cam Schlittler is 4-1 against the Red Sox.
Boston and New York have split six previous postseason matchups.
The Yankees won that game 4-0.
It came on the third pitch from Erik Miller.
Cam Schlittler has said he received online abuse before some outings against Boston.
The slam capped a five-run eighth.
It was the 16th grand slam in Yankees postseason history.
Ben Rice also homered in Game 2 of last year's Wild Card Series.
Ben Rice drove in 97 runs.
This was his third major-league season.
Opinion
The Associated Press called Schlittler's outing another playoff gem.
The Associated Press said Ben Rice burned his hometown team.
Ben Rice called it a great way to kick off the series.
5 takeaways as Cam Schlittler, Ben Rice torch Red Sox again in 9-0 Yankees triumph
Published 29 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
It is not over yet, with Sonny Gray versus.
Payton Tolle said he has not heard the fat lady sing yet.
The Red Sox made Cam Schlittler throw 22 pitches in the first inning.
Cam Schlittler is 6-foot-6.
Payton Tolle said the Red Sox will keep going out there and that he believes in them.
Those were the only other Red Sox baserunners against Schlittler.
Wilyer Abreu singled in the seventh.
Wilyer Abreu said Cam Schlittler dominated every pitch.
Tuesday was Payton Tolle's first postseason start.
Chad Tracy said Cam Schlittler had really good stuff.
Right after Tolle exited, Ben Rice hit an Erik Miller fastball 423 feet to straightaway center.
Chad Tracy said the Red Sox were not able to do much with him.
Wilyer Abreu said Boston took long at-bats, got him out early, and that he pitched to their weaknesses.
Wilyer Abreu said the Red Sox could not make the adjustments.
Payton Tolle threw 20 pitches in the first.
Wilyer Abreu said Schlittler made really good pitches.
Payton Tolle's late mother was Jina Tolle.
Ben Rice has now homered in two of three postseason games against Boston.
Chad Tracy said Payton Tolle competed extremely well and gave Boston what he could.
Payton Tolle left with two outs in the fifth.
The score went to 3-0.
Austin Wells had a hit in Game 2 last year.
Ceddanne Rafaela had a chance at the wall, and the ball cleared the fence.
Payton Tolle got a double play in the fourth.
Ben Rice has not hit well against the Red Sox in the regular season.
Roman Anthony struck out twice against Cam Schlittler.
The hit scored Spencer Jones.
Andruw Monasterio pinch-hit for him in the sixth.
Payton Tolle said a starter wants to go as long as he can.
Ben Rice scored two runs.
Ben Rice said a Yankees-Red Sox playoff game in New York is what you dream about.
The Yankees scored two runs in the seventh.
Roman Anthony flexed his hand during an at-bat in the second inning Sunday against the Cubs.
Trevor Story doubled in the eighth for Boston's third hit.
Roman Anthony had his right hand wrapped before Tuesday's game.
Chad Tracy said the next steps are unclear and that it is difficult.
Chad Tracy identified the problem as the hand.
Nick Sogard's double play kept the score 4-0.
Payton Tolle said the Red Sox have been here before.
Opinion
Boston.com called it do-or-die time for Boston.
The consensus was that Payton Tolle would have to be terrific against Cam Schlittler.
Boston.com said Tolle was terrific and the Red Sox still had no chance.
Boston.com said the Yankees again outpitched, outhit, and outplayed the Red Sox.
Boston.com said the local kids were at it again.
Boston.com said the Red Sox bats went silent in a familiar, disheartening way.
Boston.com called the loss a systematic beatdown.
Boston.com said Cam Schlittler is nasty and has earned the praise.
Boston.com said things look bleak for Boston.
Boston.com said a realistic Red Sox fan knew Boston did not have much of a chance against Schlittler.
Boston.com said Schlittler overpowered the Red Sox right away.
Payton Tolle said he believes in the Red Sox.
Everyone is in awe of Schlittler's brilliance.
Wilyer Abreu said Schlittler dominated every pitch.
Chad Tracy judged the stuff really good.
Boston.com said the start would have made her immensely proud.
Boston.com said they could not generate momentum against the best of the best.
Boston.com said Tolle looked loose, comfortable, and confident and proved he belonged.
Boston.com said Austin Wells delivered a clutch hit in Game 2 last year and came through again.
Boston.com said two local kids are torching the Red Sox as Yankees.
Boston.com said the hometown talk is overblown in one sense.
Boston.com said Ben Rice is one of the best players in baseball and could be one of the best Yankees of this generation.
Boston.com said the Red Sox do not have a clutch power bat like that.
Ben Rice said there is nothing better and it is so much fun.
Ben Rice said it is so cool.
Boston.com said the Yankees are the better team and proved it.
Boston.com said he looked out of rhythm before he left.
Boston.com said the game was closer than the final score and not very dramatic after Rice's homer.
Boston.com said Ben Rice did most of the heavy lifting.
Boston.com said Rice pulverized the pitch.
Boston.com said Boston went quietly in the ninth.
Boston.com said the Red Sox will have the summer surge unless they find magic Wednesday and Thursday.
Payton Tolle said Boston will punch back.
Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice, Yankees’ own Massachusetts natives, crush Red Sox in Game 1 blowout
Published 30 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
Aaron Judge is out for the entire wild-card series against the Red Sox.
Homegrown Yankees took Game 1 in the Bronx on Tuesday night.
Aaron Boone gave Cam Schlittler the ball in Game 1.
Cam Schlittler entered this game with an ERA below one.
Aaron Judge, a three-time MVP, was not on the Yankees' roster Tuesday.
65.8% of Cam Schlittler's pitches were strikes.
No player may join the roster midway through a series.
Aaron Judge's roster spot was uncertain entering the postseason.
Ben Rice had a career high in home runs this season.
George Lombard Jr. scored two runs.
Austin Wells went 2-for-3.
The Red Sox once had the worst record in the American League this year.
Boston is in a win-or-go-home Game 2 in the Bronx.
Sonny Gray is a former Yankees starter.
Opinion
OutKick said Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice played a vital role in the opening win.
OutKick said Cam Schlittler has leaned into a villain role with Red Sox fans on social media.
OutKick said Cam Schlittler has had the Red Sox's number since that Game 3.
OutKick said Boston has not been able to figure Cam Schlittler out.
OutKick called Cam Schlittler's regular season stellar.
OutKick said Cam Schlittler shoved.
OutKick said Cam Schlittler owns the Red Sox.
OutKick called the Red Sox the Yankees' most storied rival.
OutKick called that enemy territory.
OutKick said Ben Rice did not care.
OutKick said George Lombard Jr. looked like a savvy veteran.
OutKick said the slam put the game out of reach.
OutKick said players like Ben Rice were expected to come up clutch if Aaron Judge was off the roster.
OutKick said other Yankees farm-system products also got the job done.
OutKick called it a statement game for the Yankees at home.
OutKick said the Yankees crushed Red Sox pitching after that.
OutKick called the Rays the AL's best.
Massachusetts kids Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice doom Red Sox in Yankees' 9-0 Game 1 win
Published 30 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
NBC Sports said he is the second pitcher to make multiple postseason starts against the Red Sox and strike out 10 twice.
NBC Sports said Schlittler is the fourth pitcher with two 10-strikeout postseason games before turning 26, joining Trey Yesavage, Josh Beckett, and Jim Palmer.
Cam Schlittler now has two scoreless postseason outings with at least 10 strikeouts.
The Yankees had three hits in the second inning.
Ben Rice homered over the center-field fence on a sinker.
That single scored George Lombard Jr.
Payton Tolle walked one.
After two outs in the fifth, with Ben Rice due, Chad Tracy went to the bullpen.
Wilyer Abreu's throw went too far up the line.
Payton Tolle allowed the first two runners to reach in the fourth after a 1-2-3 third.
George Lombard Jr. was doubled off first, and the Red Sox escaped the jam.
Roman Anthony did not bat when the top of the order came up in the sixth.
NBC Sports said Andruw Monastero hit for Roman Anthony and struck out against Schlittler.
Right-handed hitters strike out 31% of the time against Payton Tolle with a 12.3% home-run rate on fly balls, while left-handed hitters strike out 22.5% of the time with a 24% rate.
Lou Merloni said on the NBC broadcast that Roman Anthony seemed to injure himself on a check swing against the Cubs in Florida on Sunday.
Anthony Volpe fouled out to first.
Spencer Jones flared out to shortstop.
Brayan Bello allowed a sacrifice fly and a walk, then a grand slam to Ben Rice.
The two left-handed hitters Gamboa faced singled to open the inning.
Wyatt Olds allowed three of the first four batters to reach in the eighth.
Alec Gamboa is 29 and made his major-league debut this season.
Alec Gamboa walked Paul Goldschmidt.
Sarah Langs said Ben Rice is the first Yankee with multiple home runs, including a grand slam, in a postseason game.
The rest of the Yankees' top four hitters had only one hit.
The Yankees' 5-through-9 hitters were on base 10 times and scored seven of the nine runs.
NBC Sports said the Red Sox were on base three times.
The Red Sox did not get a runner to second base until two outs in the eighth.
Game 2 is at 8 p.m. ET on NBC and Peacock.
Max Fried has one of the lowest career ERAs against the Red Sox.
Opinion
NBC Sports said Cam Schlittler is on his way to the AL Cy Young and seems to enjoy beating the Red Sox more.
NBC Sports called the ending an emphatic statement of Schlittler's ascendancy.
NBC Sports said he was utterly dominant against the Red Sox, as he has been all season.
NBC Sports said Game 1 began as a pitching duel between young aces.
NBC Sports said the game began and ended with Cam Schlittler.
NBC Sports said that put him in elite company.
NBC Sports called Payton Tolle's outing solid.
NBC Sports said those long innings played a huge part.
NBC Sports said the move could have been because Payton Tolle has reverse splits.
NBC Sports said it remains to be seen if that jeopardizes Anthony's series, and that it added insult to injury.
NBC Sports called another Tracy bullpen move questionable and said it blew the game open.
NBC Sports said that lead felt insurmountable with Schlittler pitching.
NBC Sports said left-handed hitters have hit Alec Gamboa hard.
NBC Sports said things did not get better for the Red Sox from there.
NBC Sports said the odds look good that the Yankees can get Aaron Judge back later in the postseason.
NBC Sports called that a continuation of Boston's final month.
Cam Schlittler, Ben Rice lead Yankees to emphatic Game 1 win over Red Sox
Published 29 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
Cam Schlittler said to go have dominant starts and put the team in position to win.
Cam Schlittler said a lot of guys did a great job of that.
Those four hits matched his total across six playoff games last year.
Yankees left-handed hitters went 7-for-13 against three Red Sox left-handers.
Cam Schlittler struck out three in the first inning, two on his curveball.
Matt Hyde also scouted Anthony Volpe.
George Lombard Jr. led off the second with a single.
At 21 years and 119 days, Lombard Jr. became the youngest Yankee with a hit in a playoff debut.
Anthony Volpe singled with one out.
The single made it 1-0.
The Yankees scored twice against Alec Gamboa.
Aaron Judge missed time with a broken rib.
Opinion
The New York Post said Schlittler and Rice continued to torment their hometown team.
The New York Post said more outings like this will have people naming babies and streets after the Yankees ace.
The New York Post called the stadium boisterous.
The New York Post called the slam the knockout punch.
The New York Post called the 25-year-old flame-throwing.
The New York Post called the ovation thunderous.
The New York Post said Boston's left-handed arms looked like a kryptonite and instead became the offensive key.
The New York Post said he cooled off in the summer while Aaron Judge was out with a broken rib.
The New York Post called that a fitting exclamation point for Rice and Schlittler.
Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice, 2 stars with Boston roots, lead Yankees to statement win over the rival Red Sox
Published 30 Sep 2026 accessed 30 Sep 2026
Facts
Those hits were the second batter he faced and the last.
That was 12 more curveballs than any other major-league start.
Cody Bellinger, Spencer Jones, and Heliot Ramos each touched the ball once while Schlittler pitched.
Spencer Jones said he caught one fly ball and did not touch another.
Cam Schlittler came back out for the seventh inning.
Cam Schlittler has thrown triple-digit heat this season.
Spencer Jones said he was locked in and ready to make plays.
Cam Schlittler was a 2022 seventh-round draft pick.
The only other 117-pitch playoff start since 2019 was Garrett Crochet against the Yankees last year.
Cam Schlittler was finished a few batters later.
Cam Schlittler throws three different fastballs.
Boston trailed by four runs with six outs left.
Boston's plan was to work deep counts and grind out at-bats against Schlittler.
Chad Tracy said that at his Monday media conference.
Ben Rice singled to right and plated the Yankees' third run.
Only one qualified starter allowed foul balls at a higher rate than Cam Schlittler this year.
That homer doubled the Yankees' lead to two.
Cam Schlittler spars with Red Sox fans online.
Aaron Boone said they were not two top draft picks.
Aaron Boone cited their Massachusetts ties.
Aaron Boone called the night pretty amazing.
Aaron Boone answered by talking about the 2021 and 2022 drafts.
Every major-league organization had access to Schlittler and Rice.
Opinion
Yahoo Sports said Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice are damn good baseball players.
Yahoo Sports called Schlittler and Rice Massholes who delivered massive Game 1 performances.
Yahoo Sports called the win a laugher.
Yahoo Sports said Schlittler gave his boyhood team a baseball swirly.
Yahoo Sports said Schlittler was nearly flawless aside from one walk.
Yahoo Sports said Schlittler was the main character for most of the night.
Spencer Jones told Yahoo Sports it was insane.
Yahoo Sports said nobody was shocked to see Schlittler toss a gem.
Yahoo Sports said the pitch mix kept Red Sox hitters guessing.
Yahoo Sports called the dominance striking.
Yahoo Sports said Schlittler has bullied opponents with that stuff and with spite.
Heliot Ramos joked that it is kind of boring sometimes.
Heliot Ramos joked about whether it was time to go home.
Yahoo Sports said few people were surprised by a 101 mph pitch.
Yahoo Sports said the crowd roared.
Yahoo Sports said the night was his anyway.
Yahoo Sports said pitchers do not do that anymore.
Yahoo Sports said teams rarely let starters go far past 100 pitches.
Yahoo Sports called Crochet's start a crowd-silencer.
Yahoo Sports said this start was more thunderous.
Austin Wells called those outings great.
Austin Wells said that is just what Schlittler is going to do.
Yahoo Sports said the advantage was mostly Ben Rice's doing.
Yahoo Sports said Boston could try to outlast Schlittler in a war of attrition.
Yahoo Sports said the idea was to knock Schlittler out after five and face the Yankees bullpen.
Yahoo Sports said Adley Rutschman, the second Boston hitter, used that plan to perfection.
Yahoo Sports said that at-bat threatened to shorten Schlittler's night.
Yahoo Sports called it the final blow and said the stadium roared.
Yahoo Sports said Schlittler kept blowing fastballs by overmatched Red Sox hitters.
Yahoo Sports called that climb too steep.
Yahoo Sports said two overlooked, late-drafted, small-school players became franchise-altering.
Yahoo Sports said Boston's clubhouse does not care that the two players who beat them are from Massachusetts.
Yahoo Sports said that sparring fuels his competitive fire.
Yahoo Sports called it a testament to Yankees scouting and development.
Yahoo Sports said homegrown players have been a huge part of Yankees success despite the club's money.
Aaron Boone judged the night pretty amazing.
Yahoo Sports said most Yankees evaluators probably do not care that the two grew up near Fenway.
Yahoo Sports said talent is talent no matter where it comes from.