The Boston Red Sox will square off with the New York Yankees on Thursday in a decisive Game 3. The winner advances to face the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday, while the loser’s season comes to a close.
Boston dropped Game 2 after its bullpen surrendered the go-ahead run in the bottom of the eighth inning, allowing New York to escape with a 4–3 victory. Still, manager Alex Cora was able to use his relievers aggressively thanks to the deep outing Garrett Crochet provided in Game 1.
Crochet has been everything the Red Sox hoped for in his debut season with the club. The 26-year-old left-hander dazzled in his first postseason start, striking out 11 and yielding only one run over 7 2/3 innings. Across 32 regular-season starts, he posted an 18–5 record, a 2.59 ERA, and led the majors with 255 strikeouts.
With a trip to the ALDS on the line, Cora is prepared to mix and match heavily against a Yankees lineup loaded with left-handed bats. Ahead of Game 3, he confirmed that every pitcher on the roster would be available. Asked if Crochet might be used out of the bullpen, Cora didn’t shut the door completely, saying, “I can’t say. We’ll see, but probably not” (per The Athletic’s Jen McCaffrey).
Even so, with Crochet having thrown 117 pitches just two days earlier, it could be wise to protect his arm for the long run. The southpaw signed a six-year, $170 million contract before the 2025 season after being acquired from the White Sox, and he responded with a stellar year that has him in the Cy Young conversation. He also earned his second straight All-Star nod, cementing himself as Boston’s ace for years to come.
For the do-or-die matchup, the Red Sox will turn to rookie Connelly Early, who makes only his fifth big-league appearance. If he struggles, though, Cora has made it clear that every option is on the table.
