Who could be the next Bucky Dent in Yankees-Red Sox AL Wild Card Game?

The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will meet in the American League Wild Card Game on Tuesday night at Fenway Park. The game will mark the first time the two antagonists have met in the Wild Card round, adding a new chapter to the storied rivalry.

There have been many moments that stand out when the two teams have gotten together with so much on the line, including the 1978 American League East tie-breaker game at Fenway Park when Bucky Dent’s three-run, seventh-inning home run gave the New York Yankees the lead for good on their way to a 5-4 win. The Yankees would eventually go on to win the World Series.

While Dent’s home run will always be remembered, it certainly came from an unlikely source. In his 12-year career, Dent hit a total of 40 home runs.

So who could be an unlikely hero in this year’s Boston Red Sox-New York Yankees American League Wild Card Game?

One possibility on the Yankees side could well be Gleyber Torres. While the 24-year-old infielder may have had an up-and-down season, he has performed well in the past in the postseason. In 21 games, he has a .342/.432/.605 slash line with a 1.037 OPS. Last postseason was his best of his three experiences, slashing .435/.567/.696 with a 1.262 OPS.

Torres has been the subject of a lot of talk when it came to potential trades and his future with the franchise. Could one swing of the bat against the Red Sox change those thoughts?

What about Anthony Rizzo? Since being acquired from the Chicago Cubs in a trade, Rizzo has seen action in 49 games for the Yankees, totaling 15 extra-base hits and 21 RBI. He’s slashing just .205/.284/.370 in 39 career postseason games. He’s also struck out 38 times in 146 postseason at-bats. He’s had some big moments, but could he add one in a Yankees uniform this year?

While we’re thinking about “what if” moments, let’s go really deep and throw the name of Tyler Wade out there. In 127 at-bats this season, he doesn’t have a home run and he’s slashing .268/.354/.323. He’s had just five at-bats in his last seven games and 12 in his last 15 contests. What if he gets one chance to make an impact at Fenway Park and does just that? By the way, he is 2-for-6 in games this season at Fenway Park, so who knows?

One thing is for sure: We will be talking about this AL Wild Card for the rest of the postseason and likely beyond. Who will make the biggest mark? We will find out Tuesday night.