Yankees’ Rookie Shines Against White Sox
CHICAGO — This week, both the Mets and Red Sox stirred things up by promoting young pitchers to bolster their playoff chances.
Meanwhile, the Yankees had already made their move with Cam Schlitler last month.
And, it seems to be the norm for talented right-handed pitchers these days.
In his latest outing, Schlitler shut down the opposing lineup once again. The Yankees allowed just one run over eight innings, notching eight strikeouts before securing a 5-3 victory against the White Sox in 11 innings on Saturday night.
The 24-year-old rookie surrendered only four hits, with just two of those leaving the infield, as he fights for a spot in the rotation come October.
“He’s a beast,” said catcher Austin Wells. “It doesn’t matter who’s at the plate. He’s going to get out there and deliver the pitch, giving us a chance.”
Schlitler has posted a 2.61 ERA through his first nine major league starts, striking out 54 batters in 48¹/₃ innings. He’s gone at least six innings in each of his last three appearances, allowing just one run in 18²/₃ innings and racking up 24 strikeouts.
“It takes time to really get comfortable,” Schlitler remarked, acknowledging that with each start, his confidence grows. “I can get out there and trust myself to do what’s needed for six innings.”
During the game, he displayed poise after being hit on the right forearm by a 102.1 mph pitch. He continued after the trainers assessed him, suggesting it was just a muscle hit, according to Coach Aaron Boone. “I wasn’t really worried because I didn’t really feel that,” Schlitler said. “I think it gave me the extra adrenaline I was looking for.”
Though the White Sox didn’t have their strongest lineup, Schlitler was effective, allowing only an RBI single to former Yankee Mike Tauchman over five innings.
Even though Schlitler threw a career-high 100 pitches, his fastball wasn’t as sharp as usual. However, he compensated with a particularly effective cutter alongside his curveballs. “Being able to put that cutter back there definitely made things a little easier for me,” he noted.
