Cam Schlittler, who has become the Yankees' ace, took the mound tonight against the Cincinnati Reds — six innings, 13 strikeouts, 0 runs, and 96 pitches, allowing just 4 hits to lead the Yankees to a 5-0 victory.
Schlittler nights have become my favorite because he pitches with a level of confidence and intensity that makes every inning feel must-watch, which makes him just such a joy to watch.
Tonight felt like one of those games where he had everything working. From the first inning, he looked completely in control and was dominating the game. The Reds simply had no answer for him. He piled up strikeouts all night, consistently got ahead in counts, and never allowed Cincinnati to build any momentum offensively.
After the game, Aaron Boone perfectly described what everyone watching was thinking.
"Tonight I felt like he was on top of his game, and had it going. The stuff was electric."— Aaron Boone, Yankees Manager
Electric is probably the best word for it. Every pitch seemed to have life, and every time the Reds threatened to put something together, Schlittler shut the door. By the time he walked off the mound after six innings, Yankee Stadium knew it had witnessed another special performance from the rookie sensation.
The Yankees' offense gave their young ace plenty of support early. Jazz Chisholm Jr. opened the scoring with a solo home run in the second inning before Ben Rice crushed a three-run homer later. Rice continues to be one of the biggest bright spots in the Yankees lineup, and it feels like every game he's finding a way to make an impact. Another night, another Ben Rice home run.
The lineup keeps clicking
The Yankees' offense has been explosive the past few games, even without Judge. Anthony Volpe has even had a recent surge at the plate, adding an RBI single in the eighth inning to extend the Yankees' lead. Quietly, he's been one of the hottest hitters on the team lately, batting an incredible .500 over his last seven games.
The bullpen handled the final three innings to complete the shutout and secure a 5-0 Yankees win, but this night belonged to Cam Schlittler.
The Yankees have had plenty of impressive pitching performances this season, but this one felt different. It wasn't just the 13 strikeouts or the six scoreless innings. It was the way he controlled the game from start to finish. Every outing seems to strengthen the belief that the Yankees have found their next true ace, and he's only getting started.