Red Sox vs Yankees Live Tonight: Start Time, Streaming Links, Key Injuries & Score Predictions

The most storied rivalry in baseball opened the 2026 postseason with a tense 2-0 Yankees victory over the Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium. Score and key moments • Rookie slugger Ben Rice continued his breakout season by blasting a 423-foot solo homer to dead center in the 5th, the decisive blow in a pitching-dominated night. • Cam Schlittler, a leading Cy Young candidate, scattered one hit over five shutout innings, striking out eight and leaning on a lively 96 mph sinker. • Boston’s Payton Tolle matched zeroes early but was tagged with the loss after Rice’s blast and an Austin Wells RBI single. Standout performers • Ben Rice: 2-for-3, HR, 2 RBI. • Cam Schlittler: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 10 K. • Adley Rutschman: accounted for Boston’s lone hit, a third-inning double. Injury updates • Aaron Judge (calf) was left off New York’s Wild Card roster, forcing the Yankees to lean on Rice and Cody Bellinger for middle-order power. • Boston remains without DH Masataka Yoshida (hamstring) and ace Garrett Crochet (forearm), both hopeful for a potential ALDS return. Pitching matchup for Game 2 • Wednesday, Sept 30, 8 p.m. ET — Gerrit Cole (NYY) vs. Sonny Gray (BOS). Cole makes his first postseason start since Tommy John surgery, while the veteran Gray seeks to extend Boston’s season. Game 3, if needed, is slated for Thursday, Oct 1. How to watch All games of the best-of-three series air nationally on NBC and stream on Peacock, with radio coverage on ESPN Radio. What Boston must fix • Offensive approach: the Red Sox chased sliders below the zone, posting a 41 percent whiff rate. Look for Alex Cora to shuffle the order, possibly sliding Wilyer Abreu into the leadoff spot to spark early traffic. • Situational hitting: Boston stranded its only two baserunners; patient at-bats against Cole’s curve could tilt momentum. What New York must maintain • Bullpen dominance: David Bednar and Paul Blackburn combined for four scoreless frames, giving the Yankees a 1.73 relief ERA over their last 30 games. • Aggressive baserunning: George Lombard Jr. swiped second in the 6th, pressuring Red Sox catcher Rutschman and forcing shallower outfield positioning that turned Wells’ single into an insurance run. Historic context This is the clubs’ first postseason clash since Boston’s 2021 AL Wild Card triumph. The Yankees now hold a 13-12 all-time playoff edge, but the Red Sox have taken three of the last five series. Search-friendly takeaway Fans searching for “Red Sox vs Yankees score,” “AL Wild Card Game 1 highlights,” or “Yankees vs Red Sox Game 2 time” will find tonight’s shutout sets the stage for a must-win Wednesday for Boston, while New York looks to punch its ticket to the ALDS behind Gerrit Cole.