The postseason may not be the proper time to try any novel strategies or entrust inexperienced players with a level of responsibility they may not be prepared for. But as the New York Yankees get set for Game 1 of their Wild Card Series with the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night, it could be argued that manager Aaron Boone missed a key chance to make a crafty decision that could have paid dividends.

Despite earlier speculation that New York would start veteran Max Fried in Game 1, Boone announced that he would instead opt to begin the Yankees' playoff run with sophomore sensation Cam Schlittler on the mound.

“He's excited,” Boone said of Schlittler. “He wants a ball, and he's ready to go.”

With Schlittler scheduled to start the first game. Fried will get the ball for Game 2, and Gerrit Cole will pitch if needed in Game 3. Additionally, Carlos Rodon will be available out of the bullpen.

The choice is not a surprising one. Schlittler has been one of the sport’s most dominant arms in 2026 and could very well be this season’s American League Cy Young Award winner. Even still, their talent could have withstood an ambitious wager.

Yankees could have taken a calculated risk to start the playoffs

Across 33 starts this season, Schlittler went 14-6 with a stellar 1.95 ERA. The 25-year-old provided the Bombers a stable presence in a rotation that had multiple talents, including Fried, who had spent time on the injured list.

Purists would argue it is wise to start your best weapon in the opening game of a series, and that anything else would be counterintuitive. That may be true for most baseball rotations, but the Yankees have a star-studded group with multiple options who could be viable Game 1 starters.

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Fried had two different IL stints this season, but he was effective when healthy. The 32-year-old went 5-5 with a 2.80 ERA over 20 starts and 112.2 innings. According to Baseball Savant, he ranked in the 97th percentile in terms of Pitching Run Value and the 99th percentile in Barrel %.

Had Boone chosen to start Fried in the series opener against Boston, it may have been a worthy risk from a strategic standpoint.

Given the injuries he has dealt with and his less-than-stellar overall playoff track record, the former Atlanta Braves staple might be less of a sure thing to shut down the opposition. But if New York were to receive a good outing from Fried and enough run support to back him up, Schlittler would be in prime position to end the set in two games.

The Yankees would certainly prefer to dispatch the Red Sox as quickly as possible. In addition to the obvious goal of advancing to the ALDS for a date with the AL East champion Tampa Bay Rays, a shorter series would help save their bullpen and provide Cole with more rest ahead of a potential next round.

It is smart baseball to begin a series with one’s best bet, but a Yankees team whose strength is its rotation could have been more shrewd to begin the tournament.

“It's clearly, I think, been our greatest strength this year, and we haven't had it all together at different times,” Boone said of the starting rotation. “All four of those guys are throwing the ball incredibly well right now at the right time.”