Aug 30, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) delivers a pitch against the Chicago White Sox during the sixth inning at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Yankees Announcers Have One Fear With Rookie Pitcher's Name

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Erin Shapland | Last updated Sep 5, 2025 7:00 AM ET

Breakout starter Cam Schlittler's last name can be a bit of a minefield, and a New York Yankees commentator finally fell victim to the trappings of the tongue twister after almost two months in the majors.

Ryan Ruocco of YES Network inadvertently cursed while trying to say Schlittler's name at a recent game, but recovered well.

"This game, started by Cam S—, sh, sh, Schlittler,” Ruocco said, before chuckling lightly. "Bound to happen one time.”

"It was bound to happen one time." -@RyanRuocco pic.twitter.com/69VvFHpssG
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) August 31, 2025

A number of Yankees commentators spoke to Chris Kirschner of the Athletic on the challenge of the up and comer's name, describing their various degrees of comfort in saying it on the air. WFAN analyst Suzyn Waldman said that she usually doesn't have a problem mispronouncing players' names unless she doesn't know them, and that she hasn't messed up on Schlittler yet.

“Watch,” Waldman said, “I’ll probably do it today.”

Ruocco noted that while he had practiced saying Schlittler's name, it's tough to get out once you've started saying the more familiar word.

“With the letters around it, if it doesn’t roll off your tongue, you land in s—, quite literally,” he said. “It’s definitely a name that I’ve had to be more conscious of than any other that I can remember during my time calling Yankees games.”

The announcers are right to worry, as they'll likely be saying this name quite a bit for the rest of the season. Since being called up in the wake of Clarke Schmidt and Ryan Yarbrough's injuries, Schlittler has become a reliable starter for the Yankees, with a 2.61 ERA and a 1.24 WHIP in nine starts. he routinely amps his fastball up to triple digits, a level of power that is apparently new for him this season. Pitching coach Matt Blake has hinted at the possibility that Schlittler would be a viable starter in the playoffs, sharing that he feels "the moment is not too big for him."

Schlittler himself is aware that his name is a doozy, and clubhouse reporter Meredith Marakovits relayed a story from his first day, when she apologized to him in advance for inevitably mispronouncing his name. He reportedly smiled back at her and said, “You wouldn’t be the first one."

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