Cam

Schlittler

The 25-year-old right-hander has been brought along slowly in Yankees’ camp as he has been battling a bit of inflammation in the middle of his back. It sounds like it was only a minor issue though and shouldn’t be something that should impact his availability for the start of the regular season. This shouldn’t impact his fantasy draft stock at all.

The Yankees have slow played Schlittler early in camp as he’s dealing with a bit of inflammation in the middle of his back. Naturally, they’re going to take every possible precaution at this point in the season and won’t risk aggravating the issue further. As of now, there’s no reason to expect that he won’t be ready for the start of the regular season.

Schlittler also noted that he has “felt a tweak here and there”, though it’s not believed to be anything too serious. It puts the 25-year-old hurler a bit behind the other pitchers in camp as he’ll avoid throwing off of a mound for the time being, though he will continue to throw. At this point, his status for the start of the regular season is not in jeopardy.

Schlittler is working to add a new weapon against left-handed hitters after leaning heavily on his fastball and cutter combination — with the occasional curveball mixed in — during an impressive rookie campaign where he delivered a sparkling 2.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 84/31 K/BB ratio across 73 innings over 14 regular-season starts, then followed it with two stellar postseason outings. The electrifying 24-year-old was already shaping up as one of the most coveted breakout arms in early fantasy drafts, and this developmental wrinkle only strengthens the case. He’ll enter next spring firmly in the top-30 starting pitcher conversation.

Schlittler didn’t have near the same success he had against Boston in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series, even when adding in that two of the runs were unearned because of a Jazz Chisholm Jr. error. He threw plenty of strikes with no walks, but he may have been too in the zone for much of this outing and only struck out a pair. The 24-year-old rookie’s season ends in disappointment, but it’s definitely worth noting how good he was in the regular season and that dominant Game 3 outing against Boston. He’ll be someone worth drafting in all eligible formats this spring.

Schlittler draws the starting assignment in another pivotal moment for New York as he’ll attempt to force a winner-take-all Game 5. The 24-year-old rookie authored a masterful performance last week in his postseason debut, striking out 12 over eight shutout innings to send the division-rival Red Sox home for the winter.

Rodón, who allowed three runs over six innings in Wednesday’s Game 2 win over the Red Sox earlier this week, will follow Luis Gil and Max Fried at the outset of the best-of-five series. It’s not official yet, but we’re assuming it would be rookie Cam Schlittler drawing the starting assignment for Game 4, if the best-of-five series gets there.

The 24-year-old rookie scattered five hits on the night — all of them singles — and didn’t walk a batter. He fired 75 of 107 pitches for strikes, getting 18 whiffs and posting an elite 36 percent CSW. He’s the first rookie to strike out 10 or more batters in a postseason game since Livan Hernandez accomplished the feat in 1997. It’s also the first time that Schlittler has reached double-digit strikeouts at any professional level. He’s the first pitcher — not rookie — in postseason history to go at least eight innings with 12 or more strikeouts and zero walks. In addition, it’s the most strikeouts that any Yankees rookie has ever had in a postseason game. It was a legendary postseason debut, especially in an elimination game against the franchises biggest rival. The next time that he takes the ball will be against the Blue Jays in the American League Division Series, most likely in New York either in Game 3 or Game 4.

This isn’t much of a surprise after the rookie impressed in his 73 MLB innings, but it’s nice to have confirmation. Schlittler posted a 2.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, and 84/31 K/BB ratio in his 14 starts and would match up against either Brayan Bello or Lucas Giolito if he does have to make a start.

Schlittler limited Baltimore’s lineup to just a pair of hits and one walk over seven dominant frames at Yankee Stadium. The 24-year-old top pitching prospect finishes the regular season with a sparkling 2.96 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 84/31 K/BB ratio across 73 innings over 14 starts. He’s done more than enough to show he deserves a spot in New York’s postseason rotation and he’ll be one of the most coveted young pitchers in fantasy drafts next spring.