Cam Schlittler, Ben Rice Make MLB History With Rare Stats in Yankees' Blowout Win vs. Red Sox

If anyone was curious how the New York Yankees would win in the playoffs without Aaron Judge, the answer for at least one game is to have Cam Schlittler and Ben Rice make MLB history.

Following the Yankees' 9-0 win over the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card series on Tuesday, OptaSTATS pointed out Schlittler is the first pitcher since ERA became an official stat to have a sub-0.50 ERA and average more than 11 strikeouts per nine innings in their first six starts against a single opponent.

OptaSTATS also highlighted Rice for becoming the first player to ever have multiple homers, including a grand slam, all of his team's extra-base hits and outhit the entire opposing team in a single game.

Red Sox vs. Yankees (09/29/2026)

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Schlittler, the AL Cy Young favorite, lived up to that billing against the Red Sox with just two hits allowed, 10 strikeouts and one walk in 6.1 innings. Rice went 4-for-5 with two homers and six RBI at the plate.

The last Yankees player to have a multi-homer game in the playoffs was Giancarlo Stanton in Game 2 of the 2020 ALDS against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Boston had a total of three hits in the game. Trevor Story's eighth-inning double off Paul Blackburn was the club's lone extra-base hit.

Judge was kept off the Yankees' wild card roster due to the calf injury he suffered on Sept. 16. Rice carried the load at the plate on Tuesday picking up where he left off after hitting a career-high 41 homers in the regular season.

Schlittler has quickly become a Boston nemesis since making his MLB debut last year. He ended the Red Sox's season last year with eight shutout innings and 12 strikeouts in a 4-0 win in Game 3 of the wild-card series.

The right-hander owns a 0.47 ERA with 49 strikeouts in 38.2 innings in six career starts against Boston over the past two seasons, including the playoffs.