Baseball’s most iconic rivalry returns once again for the Wild Card Series, with the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees officially set to clash for the second straight year in the best-of-three series on NBC, Peacock and NBCSN. While times for first pitch are still yet to be determined, the dates are set with plenty to review ahead of next week’s action.
Fans can look forward to all four Wild Card Series exclusively on NBC, Peacock and NBCSN, with Red Sox-Yankees set as the first official matchup of this year’s postseason. Dive in below for TV/live stream information, key storylines and how to watch the entire Wild Card Series on NBC and Peacock.
When is the Red Sox vs. Yankees 2026 MLB Wild Card Series?
The Red Sox and Yankees will officially begin their Wild Card series on Tuesday, September 29 at Yankee Stadium. Game 2 will follow the next day on Wednesday, September 30, with a potential Game 3 set for Thursday, October 1.
How to watch Red Sox vs. Yankees: TV channel, live stream
Fans can watch every single Red Sox-Yankees Wild Card game exclusively on NBC, Peacock and NBCSN.
Red Sox vs. Yankees 2026 Wild Card Series full schedule
Game 1:
- Date: Tuesday, September 29
- Time: TBD
- TV/Live stream: NBC, Peacock, NBCSN
Game 2:
- Date: Wednesday, September 30
- Time: TBD
- TV/Live stream: NBC, Peacock, NBCSN
Game 3 (if necessary):
- Date: Thursday, October 1
- Time: TBD
- TV/Live stream: NBC, Peacock, NBCSN
Where will the Red Sox vs. Yankees Wild Card Series be played?
All three games will be played at Yankee Stadium.
Red Sox vs. Yankees probable starting pitchers
Probable pitchers are TBD with the regular season heading into its final weekend. The Yankees will likely utilize Cam Schlittler and Max Fried for Games 1 and 2, with Carlos Rodon and Gerrit Cole looming as potential Game 3 starters. Red Sox manager Chad Tracy is expected to lean on a combination of breakout rookie Payton Tolle, veteran Sonny Gray and Ranger Suarez.
Red Sox vs. Yankees 2026 season series results
Both teams played incredibly close ball against one another all season long, with the Yankees just barely edging out the season series (7-6). New York went 4-2 against Boston at home this season.
Red Sox vs. Yankees playoff history
2025 AL Wild Card Series: The Yankees defeated the Red Sox 2-1 in the series to advance to the ALDS, where Cam Schlittler delivered an all-time pitching performance in Game 3 (Eight scoreless innings, 12 strikeouts).
2021 AL Wild Card Game: The Red Sox won 6-2 behind Nathan Eovaldi‘s eight strikeouts over 5.1 innings, while Gerrit Cole lasted just two innings.
2018 ALDS: Boston took the series with ease in 3-1 fashion before eventually defeating the Dodgers to win the World Series.
2004 ALCS: Terry Francona‘s squad made history by becoming the first team in MLB history to come back from a 3-0 deficit, where the Red Sox won four straight games to stun the Yankees on the road to their first World Series title since 1918.
2003 ALCS: Before the Red Sox made history in 2004’s ALCS, they fell to the Yankees in a tight series (4-3) before New York lost in the World Series to the Marlins.
1999 ALCS: New York took care of business with a 4-1 series win en route to a World Series sweep over the Braves.
1978 AL East tiebreaker game: Also known as the ‘Bucky Dent game,’ this matchup added plenty of fuel to the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, where New York won 5-4.
Red Sox vs. Yankees players to watch
Aaron Judge: Though manager Aaron Boone and early signs hinted at an injury-related absence, Judge has made clear his intention to return for the Wild Card Series. “The Bronx is a magical place in October,” he told MLB.com. “I don’t want to miss out on that opportunity.” The Yankees star will attempt to recover quickly enough in time for Tuesday’s Game 1 after receiving a platelet-poor plasma injection in his right calf on Monday.
Cam Schlittler: The 25-year-old (1.95 ERA, 11.1 K/9) enters the Wild Card Series as the presumptive favorite to take home this year’s AL Cy Young Award. He’s likely to take the mound in Game 1 or 2 against the Red Sox, where Boston and its fans will attempt to put his masterful Game 3 outing from last year’s Wild Card in the rearview (eight scoreless innings, 12 Ks).
Payton Tolle: Boston’s hard-throwing lefty announced his presence in a major way throughout his rookie season (3.03 ERA), where he regularly flashed the intensity and confidence of a veteran. If his past results against the Yankees (0.69 ERA, 18 Ks across 13 innings) are any indication, the 23-year-old could be primed for more success.
Aroldis Chapman: The flame-throwing closer makes his return to the Bronx as one of baseball’s top closers (1.92 ERA), backed by Garrett Whitlock, who has solidified his place among baseball’s elite setup men. How the Yankees counter this 1-2 punch in crucial late-inning scenarios will be fascinating to see unfold.
How does the MLB Wild Card Series format work?
All four Wild Card Series are best-of-three matchups, with the higher seeds earning home-field advantage for the entire series. The Wild Card Series will take place across a three-day stretch from September 29 to October 1, with potential Game 3s falling on October 1.
- AL/NL No. 6 seeds vs. AL/NL No. 3 seeds
- AL/NL No. 5 seeds vs. AL/NL No. 4 seeds
How to watch 2026 MLB Wild Card Round on NBC and Peacock
NBC, Peacock and NBCSN are the home for this year’s MLB Wild Card Series. You can sign up for Peacock here, available to enjoy on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here. Wild Card games on NBC will also be available on Peacock. NBCSN is available on YouTube TV, Fubo and Xfinity.
