After dropping Game 1 of their Wild Card series, the New York Yankees needed to win Game 2 against the Boston Red Sox to have a chance to move on to the ALDS and face the Toronto Blue Jays.
Fortunately for New York, they got some timely offense and gutsy pitching, along with some luck, and secured the Game 2 win to force a Game 3 matchup on Thursday night.
Taking the mound for both teams are a pair of rookies who haven't pitched much in the Majors. For the Yankees, Cam Schlittler is getting his 15th MLB start, while Connelly Early of the Red Sox is making just his 5th MLB start. This pitching matchup makes for some interesting MLB postseason history.
Cam Schlittler and Connelly Early to make MLB postseason history for rookies
MLB's Sarah Langs shared on Twitter/X, courtesy of Elias Sports Bureau, that with Schlittler making his 15th MLB start and Early making his 5th MLB start, it'll be the first time in MLB postseason history that two pitchers are making their 15th (or fewer) career start in the postseason.
This will be Connelly Early’s 5th career app including playoffs and Cam Schlittler’s 15th
— Sarah Langs (@SlangsOnSports) October 2, 2025
It’ll be the first game in postseason history between two starters, each making their 15th career appearance or fewer (reg season + postseason combined)
h/t @EliasSports
Both young pitchers have shown incredible promise in their rookie seasons, though Schlittler has made triple the starts that Early has so far.
At 24 years old, Schlittler has made 14 starts in his big league career, with a 2.96 ERA, a 4-3 record, 84 strikeouts, and 31 walks in 73 innings pitched for the Yankees.
Early, meanwhile, across just four starts, has a 2.33 ERA,29 strikeouts in 19.1 innings pitched, with a 1-2 record, with all of his outings coming in September. He's faced the Athletics twice, and the Tampa Bay Rays and Detroit Tigers once.
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It's a massive start for Early in his fifth-ever Major League appearance. His start on its own is some interesting history, but combined with Schlittler on the mound for the Yankees, it's a never-before-seen matchup between rookies at the beginning of their careers.
What makes this matchup even more exciting is that this is a Game 3, winner-takes-all matchup. Both the Yankees and the Red Sox are relying on their rookie pitchers in the biggest game of the year so far.
However, while it won't be easy, both pitchers have shown the ability to pitch at a high level in their limited action this season. While neither has faced the opposing lineup in their careers just yet, they've both been good starters so far in the Majors.
Schlittler and Early will take the mound on Thursday night, with the biggest game of the year starting at 8:08 p.m. in New York. It's a huge responsibility for both Schlittler and Early, as they'll both make one of their first 15 starts in a winner-takes-all postseason matchup against a hated division rival.
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