The Red Sox' 4-3 loss to the New York Yankees on Wednesday night was a tough pill to swallow for Boston fans.

But if you're a fan of intriguing storylines and high drama, you're in for a treat.

Stream NBC10 Boston news for free, 24/7, wherever you are. WATCH HERE

Boston and New York are tied at 1-1 in their best-of-three American League Wild Card series entering Thursday's 8 p.m. ET finale in the Bronx. The winner advances to the Division Series to face the Toronto Blue Jays and the loser starts its offseason early.

The stakes are sky-high -- and the fate of both teams rests on the arms of two rookies.

Let's dive into the subplots that will make Thursday's Game 3 at Yankee Stadium one for the history books:

The Red Sox will start left-hander Connelly Early, who was promoted to

See Full Page