It’s been quite the journey this 2025 season for New York Yankees rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler.
Back on March 1, he started the Yankees’ spring training opener against the Astros, pitching 2.1 innings of one-run ball with three walks and strikeouts each. On Thursday night, he’ll take the mound at Yankee Stadium with the season on the line in the decisive Wild Card Game 3 against the rival Red Sox.
Somewhere in between, Schlittler turned in excellent performances in both the majors and minors. Posting a 2.82 ERA and 13.1 K/9 in 15 games (14 starts) across Double and Triple-A was a good start. Cue Clarke Schmidt needing Tommy John surgery, and Schlittler continued his hard-throwing success in the majors, going 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts.
His 3.98 xERA means he’s overachieving by a run, but make no mistake, because the Wild Card roster choices say it for us. The New York Yankees are going all-in on Cam Schlittler.
Fellow rookie righty Will Warren will be the long arm out of the bullpen tonight, if needed. Reigning Rookie of the Year Luis Gil? Not even on the Wild Card roster, not even with blazing fastball velocity. His strikeouts are down enough that they can’t justify the 5.21 BB/9. Unless he’s getting whiffs on his fastball, slider, and changeup, he’s in for a long night.
In fairness, Schlittler also struggled with walks in 2025. He posted nearly four per nine innings in the majors this season paired with 10.36 K/9. However, his control struggles differ greatly from Gil’s.
Consider this. Ever since debuting in 2021, it’s been generally understood that Gil needs a third pitch to keep up in any rotation. We saw that pay off for him last season when he took home Rookie of the Year. Learning a changeup alongside his first two pitches made him a tougher opposing pitcher. But even then, Gil still averaged over 4.5 BB/9.
Not Schlittler. He hasn’t even played a full MLB season, and yet he already throws five pitches. He’s still very fastball dominant (54.8% usage, but also throws a cutter, curveball, sinker, and sweeper. This is a youngster still very clearly learning how to pitch, learning exactly the type of arm he is and could be. And he just finished a season with a sub-3.00 ERA.
What’s more, starting Schlittler in Game 3 isn’t just the Yankees showing they’re all but ready to pencil him into the rotation. It also gives the Bronx Bombers a unique advantage. The Red Sox, who handily won the season series 9-4, never faced Schlittler once.
Now, they have to face him in an elimination game. And he’s a hard thrower who can dial his fastball up to 100 mph at the drop of a hat.
He’s certainly a better start than Warren, who logged an awful 9.82 ERA in three starts against Boston this year. In Schlittler, the Yankees are sending a clear message:
They’re sending their best and hardest-throwing pitcher to the mound with one goal. Have him throw his best and hardest stuff and dare Boston to do something with it.
Game 3 is slated for 8:08 pm ET on ESPN.
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