Alexander Wilson
The New York Yankees do not just have a really good young starter in Cam Schlittler anymore. They have a true ace, and honestly, the argument that he is one of the three best pitchers in baseball right now is getting harder to push back on every time he takes the mound.
Friday was just the latest reminder.
In the Yankees’ 5-2 win over the Mets at Citi Field, Schlittler went 6.2 innings, allowed one run on two hits, walked two, and struck out nine over 106 pitches. That was not some cheap outing against a dead lineup either. He attacked a dangerous and surging Mets group, controlled the game deep into the seventh, and looked like the best pitcher on the field from the first inning on.
The numbers are not normal anymore
This is where the whole thing shifts from hype to reality.
Through Friday’s start, Schlittler owns a 6-1 record with a 1.35 ERA, 0.78 WHIP, and 68 strikeouts in 60 innings over 10 starts. He is not just having a strong year by rookie standards or by Yankees standards. He is sitting at the top of the sport in the categories that actually matter.
Among all qualified MLB starters, Schlittler currently ranks first in ERA, second in WHIP, and third in strikeouts. That is your top-three case right there, plain and simple.
This is what a real ace looks like
The part I keep coming back to is how complete this looks now. Schlittler is not surviving on one hot pitch or one lucky run. He misses bats, limits traffic, pounds the zone, and has enough size and fastball life to make hitters feel rushed even when they know what is coming.
That is why calling him a top-10 pitcher in baseball does not even feel aggressive anymore. He has already moved past that conversation.
What stood out Friday night was how calm the whole thing looked. The Mets got one solo homer off him, and that was basically it. He kept the ball off barrels, did not unravel when counts got deeper, and kept stacking strikeouts when the Yankees needed outs. That is ace behavior. It is not flashy all the time, but it controls the game.
The Yankees suddenly have something bigger here
This also changes the way you think about the entire rotation.
With Max Fried headed to the injured list and Gerrit Cole still working toward full strength, Schlittler is not just some luxury arm at the back of the conversation. He is a front-end monster carrying real weight.
That is a massive deal for the Yankees, especially when you remember how cheap he still is for years to come. Teams spend forever trying to find this kind of starter, and the Bombers already have him in-house.
The wild part is that this might still be climbing. Schlittler is only 25, and he is already pitching like somebody who belongs in the same breath as the best arms in the game. At this point, calling him an ace is not bold. Calling him one of the best three pitchers in baseball right now feels a whole lot closer to the truth.
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