Red Sox-Yankees Game 3 Makes MLB Playoff History

A record number of people tuned in to see New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler completely dominate during his team’s AL wild card Game 3 win against the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night.

“Last night’s Yankees-Red Sox game averaged 6.5 million viewers and peaked at 10 million. Most watched Wild Card game ever under the new format,” Richard Deitsch of The Athletic posted on Bluesky.

The current wild card game format was only instituted in 2022, after a single-elimination contest was used from 2012-19 and again in 2021.

With many baseball fans still considering the Red Sox and Yankees the best rivalry in sports, Thursday night’s numbers aren’t a surprise.

Not only was Game 3 a do-or-die contest between bitter rivals, but the pitching matchup pitted a pair of highly touted rookies.

Schlittler and Boston starter Connelly Early both made MLB history just by stepping onto the mound for the pivotal contest.

Early took the bump at just 23 years and 182 days old, becoming the youngest Red Sox pitcher to start a playoff game since Babe Ruth during Game 2 of the 1916 World Series.

The southpaw finished the contest allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits over 3 2/3 innings pitched but recorded six strikeouts against just one walk.