Oct 8, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) pitches during the fifth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Yankees Rookie Disappoints in Heartbreaking Loss

Originally posted on New York Yankees on SI
By Delilah Bourque | Last updated Oct 9, 2025 9:00 AM ET

The New York Yankees bet their season on rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler , and the bet did not pay off. The Pinstripes fell in four games to the Toronto Blue Jays, suffering a 5-2 defeat in Game 4 at Yankee Stadium. While hopes were high after Schlittler's previous postseason performance, he just wasn't able to get it done.

In 6.1 innings, Schlittler allowed eight hits and four runs, two of them earned. Through the outing he also threw two strikeouts and no walks.

The final line for Cam Schlittler in Game 4 of the ALDS pic.twitter.com/p0it0wtLZI
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Cam Schlittler's Stats vs. Blue Jays

The stats, while impressive, are a far cry from Schlittler's last start, against the Boston Red Sox with the AL Wild Card series on the line. Against Boston, Schlittler threw for eight innings and allowed five hits, but no runs. He also had a record-setting 12 strikeouts. After his performance in the ALCS, Schlittler got the start over more veteran pitchers, hoping to force a game five in the AL Divisional Series.

Unfortunately, that just wasn't the case. After Schlittler allowed four runs, reliever Camilo Doval allowed another. Veteran Blue Jays pitcher Louis Varland was a problem for the Bronx Bombers all night, who were not able to replicate Game 3's offensive explosion. While the Yankees' offense failed to get more runs on the board and the bullpen had been a problem all season, Schlittler's performance wasn't quite the same as his shoutout of the Red Sox.

In spite of the loss, the rookie finished the postseason with a 1.26 ERA and 0.91 WHIP, standout numbers for a pitcher just beginning what will surely be a storied MLB career. During the regular season, Schlittler was equally as impressive. He threw a 2.96 ERA and 1.22 WHIP in 14 starts and 73 innings pitched.

Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

The Yankees initially called Schlittler up in July and he quickly became a regular feature of the rotation, allowing the Pinstripes to focus more on finding bullpen arms and a solid third base defender on the trade market. He previously recorded two other losses to Toronto before the ALDS game.

Now, the Yankees will watch their division rival continue onto the AL Championship Series while they begin the road to next season. The pitching rotation in 2026 will likely feature Schlittler, right-handers Will Warren and Luis Girl and left-handers Max Fried, Carlos Rodón. Both Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt are also set to return from season-long recoveries from Tommy John surgery.

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