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Cam Schlittler joins exclusive Yankees club with Game 1 master class
New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Cam Schlittler joins exclusive Yankees club with Game 1 master class

By Mike J. Asti  |  Last updated Sep 29, 2026 11:42 PM ET
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Doing his part and then some, Cam Schlittler pitched like the ace he was all throughout the regular season as he helped propel the New York Yankees to a 9-0 victory over the rival Boston Red Sox on Tuesday night. 

And to add another storyline to the latest installment of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry, Schlittler made history in his series-opening start. Schlittler didn't just pitch 6.1 innings of shutout baseball, but he did it while exceeding 100 total pitches, a rarity for anyone in today's game. 

Cam Schlittler opened the playoffs with a historic performance 

In fact, he threw 117 pitches to be exact, and he did so with only two hits against him and 10 strikeouts to only one walk. 

He even left the game to a standing ovation from the energized crowd at Yankee Stadium. 

Schlittler's 117 pitches became the most thrown by any Yankees pitcher in a playoff game in 44 years and the most since CC Sabathia recoded 122 in the fifth game of the 2012 American League Division Series, which was just one more than he reached in Game 1 of that same series.

Cam Schlittler's playoff start followed a Cy Young-worthy regular season 

Schlittler's gem of a postseason start followed the best season of his young career. After going 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 14 games as a rookie last year, he finished his sophomore campaign in 2026 at 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts in 193.2 innings across 33 starts, making his case for the American League's Cy Young Award. 

His true potential was put on display in his postseason debut one year ago when he struck out 14 batters in two games with a 1.26 ERA. 

Schlittler now hopes his teammates take care of business and close out the wild-card round, moving his next appearance and fourth career playoff start to the American League Division Series.  

Mike J. Asti
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Mike Asti is an experienced media personality and journalist with a vast resume and skillset, most notably from time with TribLIVE Radio and WPXI-TV. Asti now serves as the Managing Editor of WV Sports Now, where he leads the coverage of WVU sports. He has also covered the Steelers, Penguins, Pirates and other teams within the Pittsburgh market

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