Cam Schlitler is not the first talented right-handed pitcher from the area to step into the Bronx with confidence and skill.
Recently, he returned to the stadium on Tuesday night, now a more seasoned player who has navigated various challenges throughout his career.
Manager Luis Severino is particularly interested in Schlitler, who was on the mound against Severino’s Athletics this Tuesday.
“Honestly, I believe he’s further along in his career than I was at his age,” Severino remarked prior to the Yankees’ 5-3 victory over the Athletics.
“He’s got an electric presence,” Severino added, referring to the 25-year-old Schlitler, who ended up with a no-decision despite allowing three runs over five innings. “His confidence is on a different level than mine was.”
Severino, who is set to pitch for the Athletics on Wednesday, made his debut with the Yankees in August 2015 at just 21, bringing a spark to the rotation.
Schlitler, 24 at the time of his first call-up last July, made a notable impact for the Yankees.
“What’s most impressive is his playoff performance,” Severino said, reflecting on Schlitler’s stellar eight shutout innings against the Red Sox in the Wild Card Series. “You can find players with talent, but his mentality? That’s rare. He doesn’t shy away from great hitters; he confronts them head-on. That speaks volumes about him.”
Severino’s own time with the Yankees has been marked by ups and downs, and the organization has high hopes that Schlitler will maintain a consistent elite level of play.
Severino’s years in New York were filled with injuries and disappointments.
Though he faced a rough patch in 2016, he rebounded to become an All-Star in the following two seasons, finishing top 10 in AL Cy Young Award voting each year.
However, his later seasons were marred by continued injuries, and by 2023, he encountered some of the most challenging moments of his career.
Making a comeback in 2024, Severino had a stellar season with the Mets before signing a substantial contract with the Athletics. They performed well away from home last year, but struggled when playing in Sacramento.
Initially signed by the Yankees as an international free agent in 2011, Severino had once expressed a desire to “die as a Yankee.”
Now at 32, he possesses a deeper understanding of the game’s business side.
“I really wish I’d known how to care for my body back then,” Severino reflected. “But I had to go elsewhere to learn how to take better care of myself.”
This season marked a significant milestone for the right-hander as he reached ten years in the major leagues, not long after he reflected on feeling like “the worst pitcher in the game” during the difficult 2023 season.
“I honestly worried I’d never play again,” Severino recalled. “For so many years, I just didn’t feel right. I wasn’t the same pitcher. Then I took a step back, realizing I needed to approach things differently to reclaim my old self.”
The Yankees, having seen players like Clark Schmidt and Lewis Gil also struggle with injuries and inconsistencies, are hopeful that Schlitler will chart a different course.
