The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees are set to clash in the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series, marking the second consecutive year the storied rivals will meet in the postseason.
Boston secured the No. 2 American League wild-card seed on Friday following a victory over the Chicago Cubs. New York had clinched the No. 1 AL wild-card seed earlier in the week. The best-of-three series will begin on September 29 at Yankee Stadium.
Last year, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox in three games in the Wild Card Series. This year, the Yankees entered September 25 with a record of 92-67, while the Red Sox stood at 85-74. The Yankees held the edge in their season series, winning seven of their 13 matchups, including a 4-2 record at home against Boston.
The playoff rivalry between the Red Sox and Yankees dates back to the 1999 AL Championship Series, a five-game series won by New York. Their next postseason encounter in 2003 was a dramatic seven-game affair, culminating in a walk-off home run by Aaron Boone to send the Yankees to the World Series.
The following year, in 2004, the Red Sox achieved a historic comeback, becoming the first team in professional sports to win a series after trailing 3-0. Boston went on to win the World Series that year, their first championship since 1918.
The teams met again in the 2018 AL Division Series, with Boston winning three games to one en route to their fourth World Series title of the 21st century. In 2021, Boston won the AL Wild Card Game 6-2, their third consecutive playoff series victory over New York. The Yankees evened the series lead last year, winning the final two games of the 2025 Wild Card Series.