Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler continued to build his case for the Cy Young award on Friday night, allowing only one run over six innings in a 3-1 victory against the Toronto Blue Jays. Despite struggling with his usual pinpoint control, Schlittler's performance was enough to secure the win and further lower his earned run average to 2.16, tying for the fourth best by a Yankees starter in the expansion era.
Schlittler (11-6) surrendered six hits and issued three walks, throwing 59 of his 96 pitches for strikes. However, he managed to limit damage and record crucial outs, including inducing a pop-up with the bases loaded in the fourth inning. "I got deep enough to put this team in position to win, and that’s great. I’m not happy overall with my performance, it could’ve been a lot better. But we won the game and that’s all that matters," Schlittler said after the game.
Manager Aaron Boone acknowledged Schlittler's control issues but praised his ability to perform under pressure. "He was just struggling to throw strikes consistently, and certainly like he normally does," Boone stated. "But it’s not always going to be perfect. And for him to find a way to get us six innings and get a ton of big outs on the night is a testament just to how good a pitcher he is."
Schlittler's outing marked his MLB-leading 19th start of the season with one earned run or fewer. This ties him with Fritz Peterson for the third most such starts by a Yankees pitcher since 1913, when earned runs became an official statistic. Only Ron Guidry and Whitey Ford have recorded more such starts for the team.
The 25-year-old right-hander has emerged as one of baseball's breakout stars this year and remains a Cy Young favorite alongside Jacob Misiorowski. "Cam kind of struggled, frankly. [He] finished pretty well. The fifth and the sixth might’ve been his best innings. Struggled to get in the rhythm but didn’t break, and made some big pitches when he needed to," Boone added. "Anytime he was backed into a corner, up against it, the best of the night came out."