Ryan Garcia
Cam Schlittler is going to take the mound for the Yankees against the Rays under the lights at George M. Steinbrenner Field for his 2026 Spring Training debut.
The right-hander was slowed down by a back issue that he referred to as a “minor issue” that he had zero concern about, but the Yankees will get to test how true that statement is in live in-game action.
Oswaldo Cabrera is also debuting for the Yankees in this game and is starting at shortstop as the team continues to ramp up for the regular season.
Going against Schlittler for the Rays is Joe Boyle, and this contest will be a good gauge of where the Yankees’ standout young pitcher is at in the first week of March.
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Why Yankees Will Be Paying Close Attention to Cam Schlittler’s Start
Last season when Cam Schlittler rolled into camp he did so as an unproven prospect who was going to get some needed experience against big-league hitters.
He struggled during the 2025 Grapefruit League but learned some things that he carried into his upcoming MiLB season, adding velocity and a new cutter as he went along.
The Yankees will keep a watchful eye on Schlittler still, this time to learn if one of the team’s best starting pitchers will be ready to go on Opening Day.
He provided a huge start for the Yankees during Game 3 of the Wild Card Series and delivered a quality start during Game 4 of the American League Division Series, although it came in a loss.
With the Yankees’ rotation in a bit of dissaray following an offseason surgery that Carlos Rodon underwent, Schlittler’s health is imperative to the team’s early success.
Aaron Boone acknowledged that he will be a bit less built-up than the other starters when the team heads to San Francisco and might be only able to provide about 75 pitches in that first start of the season.
Not only will the crispness of his stuff matter, but also the way he recovers following this start given the nature of his back inflammation which seemed to stem from last season.
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