Oct 2, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) walks in from the bullpen prior to game three of the Wildcard round for the 2025 MLB playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Yankees' Cam Schlittler Has The 'It'

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Joseph Randazzo | Last updated Oct 4, 2025 7:00 AM ET

When Gerrit Cole went down in Spring Training, the thought of a pitcher going eight shutout innings in a win-or-go-home game against the Boston Red Sox felt inconceivable. Especially if one were to say last March that this performance didn't come from Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, or the 2024 rookie of the year, Luis Gil. Another thought would be that the New York Yankees went out and got someone with the pedigree of a Jacob deGrom at the deadline. Very few had Cam Schlittler on their mind.

This is what makes the rise of Schlittler so astounding. The rookie drafted in the seventh round in 2022 was known to only Yankees fans who followed the season closely, but he announced himself to the world with blazing 100 MPH fastballs that methodically dissected a lineup that had given New York fits all year. It was an elevated rendition of Garrett Crochet's outing from game one.

All 12 Cam Schlittler strikeouts! pic.twitter.com/Ggi5njqbCf
— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) October 3, 2025

One person with a glowing review of Schlittler's performance was the ailing ace of staff, Cole. Cole, sounding more like the American Dream, Dusty Rhodes , when talking about a young Roman Reigns, said the budding star has "it," and he has it to an unquantifiable degree.

"There's different paths to greatness up here," the ace declared, according to Greg Joyce of the New York Post. "But certainly, this guy has come up and delivered right away. He's got 'it.' I don't know what 'it' is. It's hard to define it. But he's got it."

"I think it's really rooted. I think it's grounded in the sense that he got here executing his process and he's maintained his elite-level performance executing his process."

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Cole also noted that if Schlittler had butterflies, he didn't show his anxiety.

“Maybe he was nervous today before the game, or maybe he was nervous — I don’t know when the hell he was nervous,” Cole said. “But when the game switches on and you just go into that robot mode, that aspect of him is what has vaulted him up.”

If anybody understands the gravity of a playoff game against the Red Sox, it is Cole himself. The difference is that both he and Schlittler had very different experiences. Cole was out of the game after a few innings and had been shelled at Fenway Park in 2021.

Schlittler, on the other hand, put on a historic performance. He tossed eight shutout innings and struck out 12. He generated 18 swinging strikes. The Sox didn't make many loud outs either. They had five hard-hit balls against Schlittler on the night.

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