For the second consecutive season, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will provide a highly concentrated dosage of their rivalry at Yankee Stadium.
They meet once again in a best-of-three American League wild-card series and this time, New York's Cam Schlittler is starting Game 1 – not Game 3.
It's been exactly a year since Schlittler announced his arrival to the baseball world, striking out 12 Red Sox over eight shutout innings to clinch the series for the Yankees. He's since struck out 239 batters and posted a 1.95 ERA over 193 ⅔ innings, making him the heavy favorite to win the AL Cy Young Award.
And charged with giving the Yankees the upper hand in this very short series.
He'll be followed by left-hander Max Fried and, if necessary, Gerrit
Cole in Game 3. The Red Sox will likely counter with left-handers Payton Tolle and postseason veteran Ranger Suarez, with 36-year-old Sonny Gray folded in there.
The Red Sox have been hit with untimely injuries. First baseman Willson Contreras sat out 10 days after getting struck on the hand by a pitch, and then received two at-bats, striking out and grounding out, in the Red Sox's season finale Sunday.
Reliever Tyron Guerrero (shoulder strain) and outfielder Mickey Gasper (biceps strain) are on the IL, as is outfielder Eli White. The Red Sox will have to pivot to run prevention, as was their mantra when they overcame a slow start to roar back and claim the No. 2 wild card spot behind the Yankees.
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Yankees vs Red Sox predictions
- Bob Nightengale: Yankees in 3
- Gabe Lacques: Yankees in 2
- Kristie Ackert: Yankees in 3
- Jesse Yomtov: Yankees in 3
Yankees vs Red Sox schedule
Wild card series at Yankee Stadium. Game 3 time subject to change.
- Game 1: Tuesday, Sept. 29 – 8 p.m. ET – buy tickets, NBC & Peacock
- Game 2: Wednesday – 8 p.m. – buy tickets, NBC & Peacock
- Game 3*: Thursday – 8 p.m. – buy tickets, NBC & Peacock
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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Yankees vs Red Sox predictions, MLB playoff schedule for AL wild card showdown
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