Daily Report – 9/25/26
Yankees
Cam Schlittler’s regular season was historic. Otherworldly, even. He is all but guaranteed to win the Cy Young Award and receive MVP votes.
In his first full MLB season, the 25-year-old right-hander went 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA in 33 starts. His ERA is the third-lowest in a single season in Yankees history, behind Spud Chandler (1.64 ERA in 1943) and Ron Guidry (1.74 ERA in 1978).
Schlittler also struck out 239 batters this season, tying Jack Chesbro (1904) for the fourth most in a single season in franchise history.
He also allowed three runs or fewer in 29 starts, tying the third most in Yankees history.
Plus, he is on a nine-game streak allowing one run or fewer, tied for the franchise record.
“In hindsight, you look at the whole season and what I’ve been able to accomplish with the guys in this locker room,” Schlittler said. “It’s been special. There’s always more work to be done. You can always get better, and I’m going to take that confidence into the Wild Card [Series].”
With this remarkable list of achievements, it would make sense for Schlittler to start Game 1 of next week’s Wild Card Series, scheduled to begin on Tuesday. In a best-of-three series, Game 1 is always a must-win.
“Who wouldn’t want to start the first game?” Schlittler said. “I feel like this whole pitching staff deserves it. We’re all competitors.”
But the Yankees seem to be leaning toward Max Fried starting Game 1 and Schlittler starting Game 2. It sounds crazy, but there might be a logical explanation.
First, Fried would have had more rest than Schlittler, who, by Tuesday, would be making his second start in six days. That’s standard rest for Schlittler, but in two straight starts, he had noticeable fatigue issues, including yesterday, when he needed 70 pitches to get through three innings. His velocities were still there on each pitch, but his typical pinpoint command was off.
Maybe he was toning it down because yesterday’s game didn’t count toward the standings. However, he owns a 0.74 ERA in four starts (24 1/3 innings) against the Boston Red Sox this season, the team the Yankees will most likely face in next week’s Wild Card Series.
So, maybe Schlittler should start Game 1 next week. But if fatigue is a big issue and the Yankees want to keep him in optimal shape for what they hope will be a long October, an extra day off may be best.
“We’ll talk and do what we think is best for our club,” manager Aaron Boone said. “[Schlittler is] the guy we want the ball with, whether that’s in Game 1 or Game 2. You want to win the whole thing, and you want [Schlittler] to have the most opportunities that he can.”
The Yankees won 6-4 behind Schlittler yesterday, despite a third-inning throwing error by Heliot Ramos that led to two runs. The Tampa Bay Rays are one of the best teams in baseball at taking an extra base on every hit.
Taylor Walls led off the third inning with a walk, and hustling to third on Yandy Díaz’s single drew a long throw. Two batters later, Junior Caminero slapped a hanging sinker into center field for an RBI single, but the run didn’t count against Schlittler’s record.
In the fifth inning, with Michael Fulmer pitching, Caminero laced another RBI single for a 3-0 lead. Tim Hill replaced Fulmer and gave up two hits, loading the bases for Jonny DeLuca, who grounded into a force out at home. Then, pinch-hitter Ben Williamson grounded out, ending the inning.
In the sixth, two batters walked before Liam Hicks grounded out to second base. The Yankees tried to turn a 3-6-1 double play at first, but Luis Gil missed the catch, allowing another run to score. With Clarke Schmidt’s injury potentially season-ending, the Yankees need the best version of Gil in the playoffs. They can’t afford these blunders.
Down 4-0 in the bottom of the sixth, Austin Wells put the Yankees on the board with a solo home run. In the seventh inning, Ben Rice walked, Amed Rosario moved him into scoring position, and George Lombard Jr. doubled, cutting the Yankees’ deficit in half.
Then, Lombard reached third base on a wild pitch and scored on another. With an impressive acrobatic move, he leapt over Hicks’s glove and dove into home plate. Three batters later, Paul Goldschmidt tied the game with a single.
In the top of the eighth, Lombard stopped a run from scoring with an impressive sequence to nab Walls out at home. In the bottom of the frame, with two outs and a runner at third, Lombard drilled a two-strike go-ahead home run into the second deck in left field.
“We all know he’s got a great head on his shoulders,” Boone said of his 21-year-old shortstop, who is 9-for-28 (.321) in his last seven games with four home runs and 10 RBI.
“He’s a really good player, and he knows that,” Boone added. “He plays with that level of confidence, so we have a ton of confidence in him. It’s certainly good to see him get some really big results here these last couple of days, especially offensively.”
Next is an update on Giancarlo Stanton. The 36-year-old slugger hasn’t played since suffering his first of three calf strains on April 24. Yesterday, he had another successful batting practice session at Yankee Stadium, and Boone hopes to include him on the Wild Card roster as a pinch-hitting option.
Stanton’s issue is that he can’t run – a pretty big issue in baseball. Yet, Boone defended his long, arduous rehab, saying, “He’s been hitting all summer, whether it’s Trajekt (a machine that mimics MLB pitchers), live arms, and things like that. He’s been doing a lot along the way. […] We’ll see here as the next few days unfold.”
When asked about Aaron Judge’s comments on Wednesday regarding his determination to return by the start of the Wild Card Series, Boone, as usual, didn’t give many details.
“I don’t want to get too much into that,” he said. “At the end of the day, we’re all in this together. In [Judge’s] case, [we’re] trying to get him right and get him healthy so he can be an option for us here at some point. But we’re also going to listen to the injury.
“I see it as just a passionate player that’s doing all he can to get back for his teammates.”
Before today’s straight doubleheader, the Yankees will induct CC Sabathia’s #52 into Monument Park. The ace of the 2009 championship team was inducted into Cooperstown last summer. Now, he will join the greatest Yankees of all time as the 24th player in franchise history to have his number retired.
The first game of the doubleheader is scheduled for 4:05 PM (3:05 PM CDT) (YES, Gotham Sports). The second game will not start before 7:05 PM (6:05 PM CDT) (YES, Gotham Sports).
RHP Brendan Beck (0-1, 8.22 ERA) has been called up to start Game 1 against LHP Trevor Rogers (10-11, 4.07 ERA). The Yankees haven’t announced their Game 2 starter. Baltimore will deploy RHP Brandon Young (9-5, 3.62 ERA).
Here is today’s starting lineup for the New York Yankees (Game 1):
1B Paul Goldschmidt (R)
DH Ben Rice (L)
LF Heliot Ramos (R)
RF Amed Rosario (R)
SS George Lombard Jr. (R)
CF Spencer Jones (L)
3B Anthony Volpe (R)
C Ali Sánchez (R)
2B José Caballero (R)
SP: RHP Brendan Beck (0-1, 8.22 ERA)
On Sunday, RHP Elmer Rodríguez (0-3, 5.40 ERA) will start Game 162 against RHP Shane Baz (6-15, 4.11 ERA).
Schedule
Today 9/25:
4:05 PM (3:05 PM CDT): Doubleheader Game 1 – NYY vs. BAL; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: RHP Brendan Beck (0-1, 8.22 ERA) vs. LHP Trevor Rogers (10-11, 4.07 ERA)
3:00 PM (2:00 PM CDT): CC Sabathia Monument Park Induction Ceremony; YES, Gotham Sports
Not Before 7:05 PM (6:05 PM CDT): Doubleheader Game 2 – NYY vs. BAL; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: TBA vs. RHP Brandon Young (9-5, 3.62 ERA)
7:30 PM (6:30 PM CDT): 2026 NHL Preseason – NYR at LI; MSG, DAZN
Saturday 9/26:
11:30 PM (10:30 PM CDT): Saturday Night Live, Season 52, Episode 1 – Jalen Brunson; NBC, Peacock
Sunday 9/27:
1:00 PM (12:00 PM CDT): NFL on CBS, Week 3 – New York Giants (1-1) vs. Tennessee Titans (0-2); CBS, Paramount+
1:00 PM (12:00 PM CDT): NFL on FOX, Week 3 – New York Jets (1-1) at Detroit Lions (1-1); FOX, FOX ONE
3:20 PM (2:20 PM CDT): Game 162 – NYY vs. BAL; YES, Gotham Sports; SP: TBA vs. RHP Shane Baz (6-15, 4.11 ERA)
4:25 PM (3:25 PM CDT): NFL Rio Game – Baltimore Ravens (1-1) at Dallas Cowboys (1-1); CBS, Paramount+
8:20 PM (7:20 PM CDT): Sunday Night Football (SNF), Week 3 – Los Angeles Rams (1-1) at Denver Broncos (1-1); NBC, Peacock
7:00 PM (6:00 PM CDT): Football Night in America (FNIA); NBC, Peacock
8:00 PM (7:00 PM CDT): Hyundai Sunday Night Kickoff; NBC, Peacock
8:10 PM (7:10 PM CDT): GEICO Sunday Night Anthem; NBC, Peacock
Cover Image Courtesy: New York Yankees
