New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone has declared pitcher Cam Schlittler the "best pitcher in the league," a sentiment increasingly supported by the right-hander's consistent performance throughout his first full major league season. Schlittler further bolstered his Cy Young Award candidacy with a stellar outing in the Yankees' 5-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday.
Schlittler acknowledged the compliment but stated his primary focus remains on helping the Yankees secure a playoff spot and potentially win the AL East title. "I try to push that to the side and I don’t worry about it on a daily basis," Schlittler said. "If I go out there every five days and compete, there’s no reason I don’t have an opportunity to win it."
His primary competition for the award is Toronto's Dylan Cease. Schlittler's recent performances have been particularly strong, marked by a streak of consecutive starts without issuing a walk, following a period where he allowed 11 walks over 17 innings across three starts. In these recent outings, he has recorded 19 strikeouts.
Schlittler now leads the league with 20 starts allowing one run or fewer, extending a franchise record. His earned run average (ERA) has dropped to 2.01. His only blemish in Tuesday's game was a third-inning home run by Adael Amador, which tied the score at 1-1. This was one of only three hits the Rockies managed against Schlittler.
The Yankees have won 19 of Schlittler's 30 starts this season. At 25 years old, he has pitched 178 2/3 innings, placing him among the league leaders. His effectiveness has been crucial for the Yankees, who have managed to contend despite the extended absence of Aaron Judge and injuries to other key rotation members.
"When you have that going all year at the top of the rotation, that’s massive," Boone said of Schlittler's contributions. Schlittler expressed satisfaction with his reduced walk rate, preferring batters to put the ball in play rather than issuing free passes. He has shown significant improvement at home, with just three runs allowed in 25 2/3 innings over his last four starts at Yankee Stadium, a marked change from his earlier season home record of 2-4 with a 4.32 ERA in his first 10 starts there.
"Ask me in three weeks and I can give you my honest opinion," Schlittler said when asked about his season. "I’m focused on the last few weeks [of the regular season]. It’s been good so far, but a lot of things can happen."