WASHINGTON, D.C. — Cam Schlittler was at his locker a few hours before game time on Saturday, a dark hoodie practically covering his face. His chair faced inward. He spoke to no one. All that was missing was the No Visitors Allowed sign.
It wouldn’t be long before Schlittler would pitch one of his most impressive games in what’s already a breakthrough season. Not because the Yankees beat the Nationals, 4-2, or that Schlittler finished in double digits in strikeouts.
Fact is, the 25-year-old right-hander got a no-decision. And there were no more than six K’s. But this was the tour de force that convinced me Schlittler should’ve been named the American League’s starting pitcher in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.
That possibility vanished earlier on Sunday when Schlittler said he preferred not to take the ball. He would rather rest and prepare for this weekend series against the Dodgers. And Blue Jays’ ace Dylan Cease was tabbed as the starter, anyway.
Still, Schlittler earned the honor by overcoming the Nationals’ first-inning ambush (two home runs) and uncharacteristic poor control (four walks). Schlittler nevertheless managed to hold down the National League’s most powerful offense the rest of the way.
How? Because there’s something distinctly old-school about Schlittler. To say he’s tough is merely the G-rated description of his personality. Schlittler has the demeanor of someone you don’t want to cross in a bar at 2 a.m.
He rarely laughs or even smiles. He keeps to himself in the clubhouse. When he gets out-pitched, as he did by the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal on June 30, he takes it personally.
That’s the kind of emerging ace the Yankees will need in October. In the meantime, Schlittler should be recognized not just for his AL-best 2.05 ERA, but because no up-and-comer in the league is quite this fierce.
“It’s what we expect from him,” manager Aaron Boone said, referring to Schlittler.
“You’re not always going to be dominant and on top of it, every single time out. You’ve got to find a way. And he’s shown us that at every turn that he’s equipped to go handle these kinds of days, too.”
Saturday’s showdown was part of a growing intel war between Schlittler and major league hitters. They’ve studied enough data to adapt to Schlittler’s strength (a 98-mph fastball) and his modus operandi (working up in the strike zone).
Schlittler, in turn, is becoming more creative in sequencing his pitches. He’s getting smarter, too – but the lessons can still be costly.
James Wood, Washington’s leadoff hitter and third in the NL with 27 home runs, crushed Schlittler’s first pitch. The home run gave the Nationals a 1-0 lead and served notice they came prepared for the young ace.
“First pitch, he went right after it,” Schlittler said after the game. “I should’ve known. He likes high fastballs and I gave it to him.”
The Nationals weren’t finished sending a message. They lead the National League in home runs and have the most success against fastballs greater than 95 mph.
The Yankees’ scouting reports had warned Schlittler of the potential danger, yet he was victimized again in the inning – this time by Curtis Mead, who blasted another solo home run.
Down 2-0, Schlittler took a deep breath and vowed, “no more.”
“They have a great lineup,” he conceded. “But I was able to make some adjustments and put our team in a position to come back and win.”
Schlittler wasn’t perfect, but he was effective enough to allow the Yankees to mount their second comeback in two days against the Nationals.
Only five outs away from a 2-0 loss, the Bombers scored four runs in the eighth inning. The outburst included home runs by Ryan McMahon (solo blast), Trent Grisham (two runs) and Paul Goldschmidt (solo).
The Yankees, who’ve won three straight, practically threw a toga party in the dugout. Later in the clubhouse, Grisham said, “when you have a tough week [during the recent seven-game losing streak] it can seem bleaker than it is … so (winning) just puts everyone at ease and reminds everybody of who we are.”
There’s no doubt the Yankees’ vibe is healthier than last week. They’re practically reborn. That’s baseball, Suzyn, as the late John Sterling would say.
Still, it should be remembered the Nationals have a self-destruct mechanism like no other.
They lead the majors with 27 blown saves. So while the comeback made for great theater on the YES broadcast, not to mention the thousands of Yankees fans who flocked to Nationals Park, there will be greater challenges ahead.
One of them is keeping Schlittler fresh. With 118.2 innings, he’s already approaching his career-high for a single season (149.2 in 2025).
And that brought the conversation back to the All-Star Game. Ideally, the Yankees would love Schlittler to take the week off during the break. In a perfect world, the right-hander would take the mound next weekend against the Dodgers feeling like a man with a new arm.
But that’s just wishful thinking. As Boone himself said, “you can’t just say no to the All-Star Game.
The Yankees were prepared to ask through official channels that Schlittler be limited to one inning on Tuesday. No more than 10-15 pitches.
But Boone knows he could never count on Schlittler to take it easy. The hurler had said, “it’s going to be pretty cool” to be on the mound in front of a national audience. Schlittler planned to dial it up to as close to 100-mph as possible.
The thought might make the Yankees uneasy. Then again, maybe not. On a stage that large, Schlittler would’ve had a blast.
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