Cam Schlittler handed his ultimate audition with flying colours.
The rookie right-hander made his strongest case but to be the Yankees’ No. 3 starter this postseason, hurling seven shutout innings in Saturday afternoon’s 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles within the Bronx.
The career-best efficiency got here at an optimum time for the Yankees, who will enter Sunday afternoon’s regular-season finale tied with Toronto Blue Jays atop the American League East however nonetheless want some assist to win the division.
“I knew the situation after yesterday and coming in today,” Schlittler mentioned. “There was a little bit of pressure there, but that’s something I enjoy.”
The Yankees wanted Saturday’s win to keep up their hopes of profitable the AL East, as Toronto beat the Tampa Bay Rays, 5-1, later within the afternoon. Though each groups are 93-68, the Blue Jays maintain the tiebreaker over the Yankees after profitable the head-to-head season collection.
Whether or not they win the division or not, the Yankees might be within the playoffs subsequent week, and the 24-year-old Schlittler gave them purpose as soon as once more Saturday to be ok with giving him the ball.
Armed with a fastball that repeatedly approached 100 mph, Schlittler held the O’s to 2 hits, a stroll and two hit-by-pitches. His 9 strikeouts set a profession excessive, as did the seven innings.
Schlittler completed his rookie common season with a 4-3 file, a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 73 innings over 14 begins.
Requested after Saturday’s gem if he can be assured in Schlittler come October, supervisor Aaron Boone replied, “Absolutely.”
“There’s a humility to him, and he doesn’t think he has it figured out or anything like that, but he does have confidence with a real competitiveness,” Boone mentioned. “Good combination.”
The Yankees haven’t made any bulletins about their playoff rotation, however Schlittler can be lined as much as pitch in a possible Wild Card Recreation 3 on common relaxation this Thursday.
The competitors for the Yankees’ No. 3 starter behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodón possible comes right down to Schlittler and Luis Gil, who is about to begin Sunday. However with this weekend’s rotation schedule, Gil can be unavailable to pitch on common relaxation in a best-of-three Wild Card collection.
“I try not to worry about it,” Schlittler mentioned. “At the end of the day, I’ve got to go out there and do a job, whether that’s a question or not. For me, it’s not something I’m too worried about.”
The Yankees hit three residence runs Saturday in assist of Schlittler, beginning with Aaron Choose’s first-inning solo shot towards Tomoyuki Sugano.
Choose now boasts 53 residence runs this season. He completed 2-for-4 with three RBI, boosting his MLB-leading common to .331 and his MLB-best OPS to 1.149.
Giancarlo Stanton and Ryan McMahon added solo homers within the backside of the second.
It was the second day in a row — and the 59th time since they grew to become teammates in 2018 — that Choose and Stanton homered in the identical recreation. The Yankees are 52-7 in these video games.
“They’ve been right in the middle of pretty much everything here down the stretch that’s put us in position to at least have a meaningful game tomorrow,” Boone mentioned. “I definitely like where they’re at, how they’re playing, how they’re swinging the bat, and those two guys are game-changers.”
Boone was ejected within the fifth inning when he objected from the dugout to a referred to as strike as Choose batted with the bases loaded. The supervisor believed he acquired a fast hook from residence plate umpire Ramon De Jesus, whom he then engaged with in a spirited on-field argument.
As soon as play resumed, Choose lined a two-run single towards reliever Grant Wolfram, giving the Yankees a 5-0 lead.
Saturday’s coast-to-coast victory didn’t come with out concern for the Yankees, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. was plunked within the left forearm by a 97-mph sinker from Wolfram and exited the sport. X-rays and a CT got here again unfavourable.
For the Yankees to win the AL East, they might want to beat Baltimore and for the Rays to defeat the Blue Jays in Toronto on Sunday.
The Yankees trailed the Jays by 5 video games as lately as Sept. 16 however are 9-1 since then, together with profitable every of the final seven.
“Just win today: That’s kind of been our motto the past couple of weeks,” Choose mentioned. “Don’t focus on what happened in the past, what’s ahead of us. Just win today. If you win today’s game, you’re doing your part.”
Gil is 4-1 with a 3.29 ERA in 10 begins this season. Baltimore is about to counter with right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-1, 2.25 ERA).
Boone acknowledged it’s “kind of crazy” that after a 162-game season, the division race comes right down to the ultimate day.
“That’s the beauty of our sport,” Boone mentioned. “For those of us and [the media] and fans that live and die with their teams all summer long, it should make for an exciting day.”
Initially Revealed: September 27, 2025 at 3:47 PM EDT
