Cam Schlittler picked a whale of a time for his best major-league outing.
The New York Yankees rookie starting pitcher threw 6 2/3 shutout innings and took a perfect game into the seventh inning, outpitching Tampa Bay Rays ace starter Drew Rasmussen in their 6-4 win.
Schlittler ultimately departed after walking two and surrendering just one hit. Unfortunately for him, Schlittler did not get a decision after David Bednar blew the lead in the ninth inning by allowing a game-tying double to Hunter Feduccia.
What Did Aaron Boone Say About Cam Schlittler?
The Yankees’ starting rotation has been suspect, especially with ace Max Fried’s struggles in the second half.
That Schlittler is in the majors at all is a testament to injuries, since he never would have been pitching for the Yankees if not for Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt’s season-ending elbow injuries that required Tommy John surgery.
Yet, Schlittler has proven he belongs. He has not allowed more than three runs in any start and has pitched to a 2.08 ERA in August, capped by Wednesday where he did not allow a baserunner until Chandler Simpson’s leadoff single in the bottom of the seventh inning.
“Dominant,” Boone said. “Stuff was overwhelming. Probably the best breaking ball he’s had all year to go with the big fastball and he was so efficient. He was just living in the strike zone, filling it up. A dominant outing.
“What a performance.”
To Boone’s point, Schlittler threw just 95 pitches while facing 23 batters and entered the seventh with just 67 pitches thrown.
But things got a little dicey for Schlittler after he surrendered the hit to Simpson, since the Yankees were only ahead 2-0. He struck out Yandy Diaz but walked Brandon Lowe, putting the tying runs on base, before striking out Junior Caminero to set a new career high for single-game Ks (8).
Boone only pulled Schlittler after he walked Josh Lowe, and reliever Luke Weaver struck out Hunter Fedducia to end the threat.
“Probably got a little tired at the end,” I maybe should’ve got him a hitter before with Lowe. I wanted him for the righty there with Caminero because his stuff was still really good.
“I knew he was getting tired there, Lowe put a good at-bat on him to work the walk, and [Weaver] came in and obviously did a great job.”
Did Cam Schlittler Win On Wednesday?
Though Wednesday was the best outing of Schlittler’s big-league career, he was met with the requisite bad luck he has come to expect.
Schlittler’s FIP (4.27) is far inferior to his more respectable expected FIP (3.89), and since getting a win in his first major-league outing, the Yankees are just 2-4 in Schlittler’s start.
They had lost four straight Schlittler starts entering Wednesday, including his five-hit, one-run performance last Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins — where he waited out a two-hour rain delay and faced off against ace starter Joe Ryan.
The Yankees were one pitch from closing Schlittler’s second major-league win before Bednar blew just his second save in a Yankees uniform.
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