Cam Schlittler carved up the Boston Red Sox in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series, absolutely dominating over 6.1 innings, giving up only two hits and a single walk while striking out a ridiculous 10 batters in the Yankees’ 9-0 victory. Fans at the stadium were so hyped, they started chanting “MVP! MVP!” for the dude. But Schlittler, ever the professional, wasn’t having it, immediately pushing back and telling reporters, “We’ve already got an MVP in this locker room, he’s won three of them,” a clear nod to the sidelined Aaron Judge.
A Playoff Debut For the Ages
Schlittler might not see himself as an MVP, but Tuesday night, he sure pitched like one. This wasn’t a fluke show either. He wrapped up the regular season with an insane 1.95 ERA, a minuscule 0.92 WHIP, and punched out 239 hitters over 193.2 innings. Seriously, how often do you see numbers like that? He’s practically got the American League Cy Young award locked up already, but everyone knows the real test, the true legacy, is what you do when the stakes are highest, in October. And honestly, this guy could not have drawn up a better start to his playoff journey. He straight-up set the tone against the Yankees’ biggest rivals, right out of the gates in this short series.
Offense Backs Him Up, Series Lead Secured
With Schlittler dealing like that, the Yankees didn’t even need a ton of offense, but they got it anyway. Ben Rice went absolutely bonkers at the plate, going 4-for-5 with two massive home runs and driving in six runs. That’s a huge performance! Austin Wells chipped in with two RBI himself, making sure their dominant right-hander had more than enough run support for the blowout win. With Aaron Judge out injured, the Pinstripes needed other guys to step up and play like MVPs to grab this early series lead. Schlittler and Rice did exactly that.
Now, the Yankees are sitting pretty, one win away from advancing to the Division Series. They took Game 1 decisively, 9-0, and with Schlittler’s gem, the momentum is all on their side. Can they close it out and move on? You bet your bottom dollar they’re looking to make that happen.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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