The unfortunate 2025 season came to an end for the Boston Red Sox as they were eliminated by the New York Yankees in Game 4 of their 2025 Wild Card Series. Cam Schlittler, the local hero held the Sox scoreless for 8 innings, striking out 12 in the process. With Lucas Giolito out with a dead arm, the Sox turned to Connelly Early to get them to the next round. Thanks to shoddy defense and timely hitting by the Yankees, New York knocked early out with a four run rally in the fourth inning. That would be all the offense the Yankees would need with Schlittler earning a place in Yankees lore with the start for the ages. The Yankees knocked the Sox out of the playoffs with a 4-0 victory at Yankee Stadium.
Schlittler got the ball in the top of the first inning and Jarren Duran lined out to second to start. Trevor Story popped up to first and it looked like the inning was over but Ben Rice dropped a pop up from Alex Bregman for a foul ball error. Didn't matter anyway as Bregman struck out swinging to end the inning. Early got the ball in the bottom of the first and he froze Trent Grisham for strike three to start. Aaron Judge flied out to right and Cody Bellinger grounded out to short to end the inning.
Masataka Yoshida got a base hit to left to start the top of the second but Ceddanne Rafaela struck out swinging. Nathaniel Lowe took strike three and Carlos Narvaez grounded out to short to end the inning. Giancarlo Stanton doubled to left to start the bottom of the second but Rice struck out swinging. Amed Rosario flied out to right and Jazz Chisholm Jr took strike three to end the inning.
Wilyer Abreu popped up to third to start the top of the third inning and Romy Gonzalez struck out swinging. Duran also went down hacking to end the inning. Anthony Volpe struck out swinging to open the bottom of the third before Austin Wells was frozen for strike three. Grisham singled to right but Judge grounded out to third to end the inning.
Story flied out to right to start the top of the fourth before Bregman flied out to right as well. Yoshida got a base hit to center but Rafaela grounded out to second to end the inning. The floodgates opened in the bottom of the fourth as Rafaela failed to catch a double by Bellinger to start. Stanton walked but Rice struck out swinging. Rosario got a base hit to left to score Bellinger and Chisholm got a base hit to right. Volpe got a base hit to right to score Stanton and Wells hit a routine grounder to first....booted for an error by Lowe to score both Rosario and Chisholm. Grisham flied out to right and Sox manager Alex Cora yanked Early for the analytical matchups. Early was let down by his defense as he allowed 4 runs in just 3 2/3 innings off 6 hits and a walk. Justin Slaten hit Judge with a pitch but Bellinger flied out to center to end the inning with the game all but over with the Sox down 4-0.
Lowe tried to atone for his error with a base hit to center to start the top of the fifth but Narvaez struck out swinging. Abreu struck out swinging but Gonzalez singled to right. Duran struck out swinging to end the inning. Stanton flied out to center to start the bottom of the fifth and Rice flied out to center. Rosario struck out swinging to end the inning.
Ryan McMahon came in for Rosario to start the top of the sixth inning and Story singled to left. Bregman forced Story at second and Yoshida struck out swinging. Rafaela struck out swinging to end the inning. Steven Matz came in to pitch the bottom of the sixth and Chisholm singled to right to start. Volpe took strike three before Wells forced Jazz at second. Grisham popped up to third to end the inning.
Lowe flied out to right to start the top of the seventh before Narvaez hit one up the elevator shaft. Abreu struck out swinging to end the inning. Greg Weissert came in to pitch the bottom of the seventh and Judge flied out to right to start. Bellinger grounded out to first and Stanton grounded out to short to end the inning.
Schittler returned for the top of the eighth and Gonzalez struck out swinging to start. Duran popped up to third and Story grounded out to short to end the inning. Schlittler dominated the Sox, holding them to five hits while striking out 12 batters.
Aroldis Chapman came in to pitch the bottom of the eighth and Paul Goldschmidt pinch hit for Rice. Goldschmidt singled to center but McMahon took strike three. Chisholm Jr took strike three and Volpe struck out swinging to end the inning.
David Bednar came in to close out the top of the ninth and Bregman walked to start. Yoshida forced Bregman at second before Rafaela struck out swinging. Lowe popped up to third to end the game. The Yankees had eliminated the Red Sox with a 4-0 win.
Yankees win
Jackass of The Night is Nathaniel Lowe. His two run error iced the game and he made the final out of the game.
The Good:
Masataka Yoshida was 2 for 4.
Romy Gonzalez was 1 for 3.
Justin Slaten tossed 1 1/3 scoreless innings.
Steven Matz tossed a scoreless inning.
Greg Weissert pitched a scoreless seventh inning.
Aroldis Chapman pitched a scoreless eighth inning.
The Bad:
Jarren Duran was 0 for 4 with 2 strikeouts.
Ceddanne Rafaela was 0 for 4 with a hat trick of 3 strikeouts.
Carlos Narvaez was 0 for 3 with a strikeout.
Wilyer Abreu was 0 for 3 with 2 strikeouts.
Connelly Early took the loss allowing 4 runs (3 earned) in 3 2/3 innings off 6 hits and a walk.
The Ugly:
Trevor Story was just 1 for 4 and committed an error.
Alex Bregman was 0 for 3 with a strikeout but walked.
Final Thoughts:
And that's that. This season had more twists and turns than a roller coasted but it all comes crashing down in 3 games at Yankee Stadium. Too many injuries led to Alex Cora basically shooting his load in Game 2 and having nothing left for Game 3. Connelly Early was game but he never should have started. Too bad Lucas Giolito, Dick Fitts, Hunter Dobbins, Kutter Crawford and Tanner Houck were all out for the season and Dustin May & Walker Buehler were completely useless. The losses of Triston Casas and Roman Anthony for the season were also devastating but none more than the trade of Rafael Devers. Ironically the Sox best hitter after Anthony went down was Masataka Yoshida, its a shame his September and early October efforts went for naught. The Sox also wasted a once in a lifetime season by Aroldis Chapman and a damn good one by Garrett Whitlock. Alex Bregman has all but announced he's opting out of his contract so the Sox need to get TWO big bats in the off-season. With the current front office allergic to spending money, that might be a problem. If Giolito is gone, they're going to need a number 2 and number 3 starter because going into the season with Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello and the previously mentioned pitchers isn't going to cut it. One of the reasons the Sox struggled all season is Alex Cora doesn't stress defense and it cost him the series. You'd think management would want to hold him accountable after 3 sub-par defensive seasons but they're too busy doing their Scrooge McDuck impression from all the sellouts in September while the Sox fought for the playoffs. Like I mentioned all season, this team had no brains but tons of heart. They played hard, they tried and they deserved better. The Sox have a lot of work to do in the off-season but if they get two big bats and a number 2 starter, they'd be right up there with the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays. Speaking of the Blue Jays, if they beat the Yankees then all the work THEY did to win this series would be for naught. Still, the Sox need to concentrate on their own business if they want to bounce back in 2026. Hopefully ownership takes the leash of Craig Breslow and lets him spend. Otherwise we'll be right back here next year doing the exact same postmortem eulogy. Here's to 2026.
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