Source: MLB.com
Summary
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will meet in the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series, marking their second consecutive playoff matchup. Boston secured the No. 2 American League wild-card seed after defeating the Chicago Cubs, while New York earned the No. 1 seed. The series will begin on Sept. 29 at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees won seven of 13 regular-season games against Boston this season. The two teams have a long playoff history, including the 1999 AL Championship Series, the 2003 seven-game series, and the 2004 comeback. Boston won the 2018 ALDS and the 2021 Wild Card Game. The Yankees won the 2025 Wild Card Series.
Our Reading
The game followed a familiar script.
Yankees and Red Sox meet again, same as last year.
Yankee Stadium hosts again, same as before.
Yankees won more regular-season games, same as always.
Their history is longer than most fans’ careers.
Author: Evan Null
2026 Wild Card Series: Yankees vs. Red Sox Again
The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will face off in the 2026 MLB Wild Card Series, continuing their rivalry for the second straight year. This matchup was confirmed after Boston’s win over the Chicago Cubs, securing the No. 2 American League wild-card seed. New York had already clinched the No. 1 seed earlier in the week. The series will take place at Yankee Stadium, just like in 2025, when the Yankees swept the Red Sox in three games.
The Yankees had a better regular-season record against the Red Sox, winning seven of 13 games this season. New York went 4-2 at home and 3-4 on the road. Before the 2026 series, the Yankees entered Sept. 25 with a 92-67 record, while Boston was at 85-74. The two teams have a long history of playoff meetings, dating back to 1999.
The first playoff meeting between the Yankees and Red Sox came in the 1999 AL Championship Series, where New York won in five games. That year, Roger Clemens, who had previously played for Boston, was with the Yankees. The rivalry intensified in 2003, when the Yankees won a dramatic seven-game series, including a walk-off home run by Aaron Boone in Game 7.
The Red Sox made history in 2004 by coming back from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Yankees and then won the World Series. They faced the Yankees again in 2018, winning the ALDS and going on to win the World Series. In 2021, Boston defeated New York in the Wild Card Game, making it three straight playoff series wins over the Yankees.
Last year, the Yankees won the Wild Card Series against Boston, evening the playoff record between the two teams at three wins each. Now, the Yankees and Red Sox are set to meet again in 2026, continuing a rivalry that has defined baseball for decades.
