New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler has opted out of participating in the upcoming All-Star Game, a decision he made to prioritize the team's championship aspirations and manage his season workload. The ace pitcher informed manager Aaron Boone of his choice on Sunday morning.
Schlittler, who has the lowest earned run average in the American League at 2.05, expressed concerns about his recovery and potential risk of injury. "The staff’s had a lot of injuries this year, so between Gerrit [Cole] and Max [Fried] and now Carlos [Rodón], don’t want to put that risk in there of letting the team down," Schlittler stated. "If I were to not recover the right way and I’m dragging a little bit, then that wouldn’t have benefitted anyone."
He added that his priorities are to the team and helping them win a championship, and he wasn't comfortable enough with his recovery to give maximum effort for an inning in the exhibition game. Despite feeling physically well, Schlittler wants to ensure he is at full strength for the second half of the season.
Schlittler's decision came independently of the announcement that Toronto Blue Jays manager John Schneider, who is managing the AL team, planned to start Dylan Cease regardless of Schlittler's availability. Schneider had informed Major League Baseball of his decision Saturday night. Schlittler acknowledged Cease's success this season, stating, "Congrats to Dylan, he’s been great this year, he deserves that," but emphasized that his decision was not influenced by Schneider's choice.
Schlittler has already thrown 118 2/3 innings across 20 starts, putting him on pace to surpass his previous career-high of 149 2/3 innings set last season. This heavier workload, especially with other key Yankees pitchers on the injured list, likely factored into his decision.
Manager Aaron Boone supported Schlittler's choice, understanding the stakes for the Yankees in the latter half of the season. While Schlittler remains on the AL roster and technically available, it is unlikely he will pitch in the game. He is also expected to pitch in the Yankees' upcoming series against the Dodgers. Although Tuesday would have been a bullpen day for him between starts, the intensity of an All-Star Game appearance, even for one inning, concerned him. "I think the adrenaline there, it was probably going to be like 110 percent [effort]," Schlittler said. "And that’s where you get a little bit nervous."