NEW YORK – It’s 11:00pm ET. The champagne is flowing in the Yankees’ locker room after the Bronx Bombers shutout the Red Sox, 4-0, in Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series on Thursday night.

MLBbro Trent Grisham called it a statement victory for the Yankees. After all, it’s the first time since the American League Championship Series in 2003, that the Yankees eliminated Boston from the postseason. New York now advances to the A.L. Division Series to play the Blue Jays.

“We were down, 0-1, and have a do or die game early in the playoffs and the victories speak of the veteran leadership of this team,” Grisham said. “Also guys are willing to go there with an all-out [approach].”

In the middle of the locker room chaos is New York’s No. 1 leader, Aaron Judge. He is not pouring any bubbly on teammates. He is happy for sure, but he is the first to tell you that the job is not finished until the Yankees wear the World Series crown for the first time since 2009.

“These are special moments,” Judge said. “You get to celebrate with your team after a series win. We know there is still a lot of work ahead of us, but we obviously have to enjoy these moments along the way and help prepare for the next series.

Judge believes the 2025 Yankees are the best team he ever played on. In fact, he calls the squad a complete team. It helped that postseason hero Cam Schlittler pitched eight shutout innings and struck out 12 batters in the final game.

“Up and down our lineup, the guys can hit for homers, hit for average, move guys over. We also have a great defensive team, great starting rotation. It’s a really complete team,” Judge said.

The Yankees didn’t need the long ball to win Thursday’s game. All four runs were scored in the bottom of the fourth against left-hander Connelly Early. MLBbro Giancarlo Stanton had a key walk and later scored on a single by Anthony Volpe.

Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled in the same inning and scored the fourth and final run after Austin Wells hit a hard ground ball to Red Sox first baseman Nate Lowe, who booted the ball for an error.

“That’s been our M.O. the entire year… Pass the baton,” Judge said. “Don’t be the guy that goes out there and tries to hit the three-run homer. You just go out there and do your job. If it’s a walk or if it’s a knock, just keep moving.”

Chisholm saw that inning a little differently.

“It was sick. I felt we needed to get Cam one run, but it was good to get the extra runs so he could have more confidence to do what he had to do,” Chisholm said.

Now, it’s on to Toronto to play the Blue Jays in the A.L. Division Series starting Saturday afternoon. The Blue Jays took the regular season series by winning eight out of 13 games.

“They are another complete team. They had our number during the regular season. We are going to go out there and do our thing,” Judge said.