Looking back at Yankees’ biggest surprise of 2025

Schlittler made an immediate impact once he was called up to the Bronx. He went 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA and a 3.74 FIP across 14 starts. From the moment he arrived, it was clear that the Boston native would consistently deliver a high-powered fastball as well as offspeed stuff that could occasionally catch hitters off-balance.

Throughout his time in the regular season, Schlittler faced adversity. Some rookies enter the league and are dominant from their first start, since hitters have not yet seen them. While Schlittler’s fastball was elite enough to keep the opposition on their toes, there were moments when he allowed batters to work deep into counts and eventually earn walks or base hits that would create traffic on the bases.

While one could say that this aspect of Schlittler’s season was disappointing, it may also be asserted that these experiences were a vital part of what allowed him to cement his status as a crucial part of both the team’s present and future.

Schlittler excelled during the 2025 postseason with Yankees

Entering the 2025 postseason, it was not known who New York would start after Fried and Rodon. While Schlittler had impressed towards the end of the regular season, there was a chance that Yankees manager could have decided to start Luis Gil in Game 3 of the group’s American League Wild Card series against the Boston Red Sox. But the skipper chose to roll with the rookie, and his faith was rewarded.

Schlittler struck out 12 batters and tossed eight innings of scoreless baseball as New York won Game 3 to advance to the ALDS. Despite being the most pressure-packed situation of his young career, the 24-year-old was able to remain composed and deliver exactly what his team needed.

While his Wild Card performance will ultimately be the most fondly remembered part of his 2025 postseason, it could be said that Schlittler was more impressive in the Yankees’ Game 4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALDS.

The Massachusetts native surrendered only two runs through 6.1 innings against a Toronto team that had earned a reputation as a club that could consistently work deep into counts and make pitchers’ lives difficult.

In each playoff start, Schlittler showed that he could handle different kinds of pressure. Such a skill will serve him well as he continues to learn from teammates such as Fried, Rodon, and Cole.

“You’ve got Hall of Famers in there, Cy Young winners,” Schlittler told Bryan Hoch of MLB.com. “I have a lot of resources to go talk to these people, where I’m just trying to get better. They want me to get better, because we just want to win games.”

The baseball world discovered Schlittler in 2025, and the right-hander could be in for a fascinating 2026.