Cam Schlittler believes Yankees can turn things around against Blue Jays

Yankees Looking to Close Gap with Blue Jays

Houston – Just a month and a half ago, the Yankees found themselves trailing the Blue Jays. Now, as they prepare for a three-game series, they hope to narrow the gap after trimming their deficit to three games with an 8-4 victory over the Astros on Thursday.

“Honestly, this was the most significant game of my career. It felt like a playoff game, and I’m thrilled to have contributed to the team’s win,” said Cam Schlittler before heading back to New York for some rest ahead of Friday’s matchup. “We’ve faced them before, and it didn’t go our way, but I really believe we can turn that around this time.”

The Blue Jays have held first place in the AL East for 64 consecutive days, having taken that position from the Yankees during a four-game sweep in early July. The Yankees struggled in their late July visit to Toronto, winning just one of three games. Schlittler started the Yankees’ lone victory, pitching five solid innings and allowing only two runs.

The Blue Jays’ aggressive style combined with their speed posed a challenge for the Yankees this season. Entering Thursday’s game, the Yankees had committed 77 errors in 139 games; alarmingly, 12 of those occurred in just ten games against the Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.

“They’re going to play aggressively,” Schlittler noted. “I think I’ve improved since we last faced them. Sure, they’ve got a solid team and our defense is great. Still, I’m focused on developing my game further.”

Meanwhile, Giancarlo Stanton started his third consecutive game in left field, marking his first time out in the field for three straight days since mid-August. Despite some concerns, Manager Aaron Boone indicated that Stanton’s position in the lineup for Friday’s game is still uncertain, especially given the team’s overnight travel and early arrival back in New York.

In a positive development, Aaron Judge continued his throwing regimen prior to Thursday’s game, making five throws from the right field to home plate.

Austin Slater, recovering from a hamstring strain, played in his fifth rehab game on Thursday, participating in his third consecutive game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes Barre. It seems he’s gearing up for activation following a successful stint. The Yankees also cleared the way for his return by sending JC Eskara to Triple-A on Thursday night.