Every part was arrange for the Yankees.
Max Fried outdueled Boston Crimson Sox ace Garrett Crochet into the seventh inning in Recreation 1 of their Wild Card sequence, and he exited to a standing ovation because the Yankees clung to a one-run lead.
However these cheers turned to groans instantly.
The Crimson Sox rallied for 2 runs as quickly as Fried left Tuesday evening’s recreation within the Bronx, dealing the Yankees a 3-1 loss and leaving them on the sting of elimination.
The Yankees should now win the subsequent two video games within the best-of-three playoff sequence to maintain their hopes of returning to the World Sequence alive.
Fried had thrown 6.1 scoreless innings on 102 pitches when supervisor Aaron Boone changed him with reliever Luke Weaver with one out within the seventh inning. The bases have been empty, and the Yankees led, 1-0.
“They pressured him pretty good in the fourth, fifth, sixth. Had a couple baserunners each inning,” Boone stated of his determination to take Fried out.
“Felt like he kind of cruised through the first few, and obviously ends up pitching great. Had to work pretty hard. I was going to have the sixth be the end. After we finished [that inning] with the double play, I wanted him to go out and get [Jarren] Duran, and felt like we were lined up.”
Fried stranded two runners apiece within the fourth and fifth innings, whereas a Nate Eaton double play ended the sixth. The left-handed Fried acquired the lefty-swinging Duran to floor out to start the seventh.
“I definitely exerted a lot of energy trying to get out of [the jams],” Fried stated. “But I definitely had enough in the tank for whatever the team needed.”
Fried stated Boone requested him within the dugout if he felt he might face Duran, and he replied within the affirmative.
“I’ve been plenty clear with him throughout the year that whatever they need me to do, I’m more than willing to do,” Fried stated.
Weaver, a postseason hero for the Yankees final 12 months, started his outing by strolling Ceddanne Rafaela on 11 pitches, regardless of getting forward within the rely 0-2.
No. 9 hitter Nick Sogard adopted with a hustle double, making it to second base on a line drive to right-center. Sogard slid in safely as Aaron Choose, who has been enjoying via a flexor pressure in his proper elbow, one-hopped a throw to second base, whereas Rafaela superior to 3rd.
“I’m trying to get in there and make a play,” Choose stated. “Definitely don’t want to overthrow it, but he’s quick. He’s pretty quick [and] got in there.”
Pinch-hitter Masataka Yoshida then delivered the decisive blow, lining a two-run single up the center towards Weaver to offer the Crimson Sox a 2-1 lead.
“I felt like I was very competitive,” Weaver stated. “They put a good approach together, put the ball in play and found the holes. I know there are a lot of disappointed people, including myself, but just got to be better.”
The Crimson Sox leaned on Crochet for a career-high 117 pitches. After surrendering a second-inning solo dwelling run to Anthony Volpe, the hard-throwing Crochet settled in to throw 7.2 innings with 11 strikeouts.
“With them leaving me in there, I wanted to honor that decision,” Crochet stated. “I felt like [Red Sox manager Alex Cora] put a lot of faith in me this year, and I haven’t let him down yet. So I was going to be damn sure this wasn’t the first time.”
Boston tacked on a run within the ninth with Alex Bregman’s RBI double towards David Bednar.
The Yankees threatened within the backside of the ninth towards Aroldis Chapman, loading the bases on successive singles by Paul Goldschmidt, Choose and Cody Bellinger to start the inning.
However Chapman, a former Yankees nearer, retired the subsequent three batters, ending the sport with a strikeout of Trent Grisham.
The late-inning shortcomings squandered a valiant effort by Fried, whom the Yankees signed to an eight-year, $182 million contract in December as a pivot after Juan Soto’s departure for the Mets.
To signal Fried, the Yankees received a bidding struggle by which the Crimson Sox have been finalists. Boston pivoted by buying Crochet in a blockbuster commerce with the Chicago White Sox.
Fried stepped up because the Yankees’ ace after Gerrit Cole’s season-ending elbow surgical procedure, going 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in 32 begins.
Crochet went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA and was the one pitcher within the American League to throw extra innings (202) than Fried’s 195.1.
Together with Tuesday’s win, the Crimson Sox are 5-0 towards the Yankees in video games began by Crochet.
“He’s the best pitcher in the game,” stated Choose, who completed 2-for-4. “He’s gonna work [in] all of his pitches, worked a little more offspeed in there early on. We got the Volpe homer and we got guys on, but didn’t do much after that.”
With their season on the road, the Yankees flip to Carlos Rodón (18-9, 3.09 ERA) for Wednesday evening’s Recreation 2 within the Bronx. The Crimson Sox are set to counter with Brayan Bello (11-9, 3.35 ERA).
Rodón was 1-2 with a 5.74 ERA in three begins towards the Crimson Sox this season. Bello went 2-1 with a 1.89 ERA in three begins towards the Yankees, however they tagged the right-hander for 4 runs in 5 innings on Sept. 13.
To advance to the ALDS, the Yankees should make historical past. Since MLB launched the best-of-three Wild Card format in 2022, the workforce that misplaced Recreation 1 has by no means come again to win the sequence.
“A lot of veterans in this clubhouse that have been through some stuff,” Choose stated. “A lot of this team [went] to the postseason last year, been to the World Series, been in some tough moments. We’ll go out there and play our game, and we’ll be good.”
Initially Printed: September 30, 2025 at 9:21 PM EDT
