The stage was set for a dramatic finish at Yankee Stadium on October 2, 2025, as the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox squared off in a winner-take-all Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series. With a storied rivalry on the line and the postseason hopes of both franchises hanging in the balance, it was a night brimming with tension, unforgettable moments, and a few controversial calls that left fans and players alike buzzing long after the final out.
While the Red Sox faithful were still reeling from Boston’s defeat, the drama wasn’t limited to the Bronx. Over at Wrigley Field, the Chicago Cubs punched their ticket to the next round of the National League playoffs by eliminating the San Diego Padres with a 3-1 victory, closing out their own Wild Card Series in front of a jubilant home crowd. The Padres, however, left Chicago with more than just disappointment—controversy followed them out the door, thanks to a pivotal ninth-inning call that will be discussed for seasons to come.
But all eyes on Thursday night were glued to New York, where Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler delivered one of the most electrifying postseason debuts in recent MLB memory. Born in Walpole, Massachusetts, just a short drive from Boston, Schlittler grew up a Red Sox fan—until the Yankees selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft. The twist of fate made his dominant outing against his childhood team all the more personal and, as it turns out, all the more motivating.
Schlittler’s performance was nothing short of spectacular: he struck out 12 Red Sox batters over eight scoreless innings, silencing both the Boston lineup and the crowd. In a post-game interview with The Athletic and the Associated Press, Schlittler revealed the extra fuel that helped him rise to the occasion. According to the rookie, his family had been harassed by Red Sox fans on social media in the days leading up to the game. "They’re just trying to get under your skin but I thought they crossed the line a little bit," Schlittler said. "At the end of the day, there’s not much they can say now."
Schlittler admitted that the online taunts, particularly those aimed at his mother, provided "100 percent" of his motivation as he took the mound. "They’re happy for me," he added, referring to his friends back home in Massachusetts. "I think they’re bummed out, obviously. They’re all Red Sox fans. I told them that’s exactly what was going to happen. They’ll get over it. Hockey season is coming up, basketball season is coming up. I’m sure they’ve got other things to distract them."
For a player who wasn’t even listed among the Yankees’ top 30 prospects by MLB Pipeline in 2024, Schlittler’s meteoric rise to the playoff rotation—and his ability to deliver under immense pressure—was a revelation. His eight-inning masterpiece not only sent the Yankees to the American League Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays but also cemented his place in the hearts of New York fans. Should the ALDS go to a fourth game, Schlittler is expected to get the nod once again, this time on the familiar mound at Yankee Stadium.
Yet, it wasn’t just the rookie hurler who stole the spotlight. The play of the night—and perhaps the postseason—came courtesy of Yankees third baseman Ryan McMahon. With one out in the top of the eighth inning, Boston’s Jarren Duran lofted a foul pop-up toward the visitors’ dugout. McMahon, acquired from the Colorado Rockies before the trade deadline and already a fan favorite for his defensive prowess, tracked the ball at full speed. In a heart-stopping moment, he caught the ball and flipped head-over-heels over the dugout railing, landing safely and popping up to a thunderous standing ovation from the sellout crowd.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone was quick to praise his infielder’s daring effort. "It went up, and then I felt like I saw, kind of my periphery, I feel like he's got a bead on it, but I know where he is headed, and he's on the dead run, so it just flashed back to Gio Urshela a couple years ago when he went flying into the dugout against Tampa late in the season. I came sprinting out of the dugout because I knew it could be dangerous over there," Boone recounted. Starting pitcher Cam Schlittler added, "Yeah, that was amazing. I was just hoping he wasn't hurt. Everybody running over there to check on him. Again, obviously the momentum was on our side, and he just kind of kept it going."
The Yankees’ bullpen, including reliever David Bednar, drew inspiration from the play. "I was glad it stayed in play, got that final out, and on to Toronto," Bednar said. McMahon’s impact on the team has been immediate and significant: since joining New York, he’s hit four home runs and driven in 18 runs over 54 games, providing both offensive spark and defensive reliability down the stretch.
As the Yankees celebrated their 4-0 shutout win over Boston, attention quickly shifted to the next challenge: a best-of-five ALDS series against the Toronto Blue Jays, set to begin October 4, 2025. The Yankees’ postseason hopes are alive and well, buoyed by a blend of youthful energy, veteran leadership, and a touch of postseason magic.
Meanwhile, in Chicago, the Cubs’ 3-1 victory over the Padres was marred by a ninth-inning controversy. With the Padres trailing and desperate for a baserunner, former Red Sox star Xander Bogaerts stepped to the plate and worked a full count against Cubs reliever Brad Keller. The payoff pitch sailed well below ESPN’s unofficial strike zone, yet the home plate umpire called it a strike—ending the at-bat and, effectively, San Diego’s season. Bogaerts didn’t mince words afterward. "It’s a ball. Messed up the whole game, you know? I mean, can’t go back in time and talking about it now won’t change anything. So it was bad, and thank God for ABS next year, because this is terrible," he told Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune.
Major League Baseball plans to introduce the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) in 2026, allowing players to challenge questionable calls using Hawk-Eye technology. According to Umpire Scorecards, the pitch to Bogaerts was the game’s most impactful missed call. Frustration boiled over in the Padres’ dugout, with players and coaches openly berating the umpiring crew as they left the field. Yet, the Padres’ offensive struggles were also to blame—they managed just five runs across the three-game series. Bogaerts went 4-for-12, matching the combined hit total of teammates Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado, and Luis Arraez.
As the dust settles on a wild week of playoff baseball, the Yankees and Cubs move forward with momentum and confidence, while the Red Sox and Padres are left to ponder what might have been. October’s drama is far from over, and if these opening acts are any indication, baseball fans are in for a postseason to remember.
