AL WILD CARD SERIES: RED SOX VS YANKEES

September 28, 2026

Cam Schlittler

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Workout Day Press Conference

CAM SCHLITTLER: It's special. Being able to get that experience last year in Game 3, it's a good feeling to go out there and get the first one.

Q. What is the adrenaline like as you look towards to tomorrow? What's the next 24 hours going to be like as you wait to take the mound?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Again, it's natural adrenaline. I expect it to be loud. It's going to be an electric experience. Again, just treat it like any other game. Go ahead and do anything you do between starts and take it from there.

Q. What did you do mentally to prepare for your playoff start last year that worked that you're going to do going into tomorrow?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Do what I always do, you know. Prepare, throw, throw a good bullpen, execute some things, get some good sleep, go over the scouting report. Nothing changes regardless if it's a regular season game for a postseason game.

Q. How much do you embrace the responsibility that comes with being the Yankees' lead starter in the playoffs?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think you can embrace just being a Yankee in general. It's a great feeling. I have a great relationship with Boony, the staff, and the other guys in this locker room. For him to put faith in me to go out there and put a good performance in in Game 1, that's definitely a great feeling.

Q. The Yankees have talked about your evolution as a pitcher, and it wasn't too long ago where you didn't have a two-seam fastball and you were still working on the cutter. How would you describe that evolution and how proud you are now to have those three fastballs to go after hitters with?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Again, I developed a cutter last year in AA, got up here, incorporated a two-seam. Didn't really know how to incorporate that. Relied mostly on the four-seam and the cutter.

Again, towards the end of the season found out really how to use the two-seam to my advantage. Took that into the playoffs, saw really good results. Adding that to the identity of who I am on the mound, just using the three fastballs to my advantage.

Q. You faced the Red Sox a lot. Just how do you deal with facing a team that's seen you so many times?

CAM SCHLITTLER: The whole size of the AL East. Again, we faced each other a lot. I faced them four times this year. I faced other teams in the AL four times this year, and I've seen good success.

You've got to rely on your strengths. At the same time, you've got to see what adjustments they make and kind of just go from there.

Q. In what ways have you learned to feed off the crowd here at Yankee Stadium?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I mean, they're loud. It was a great experience to watch that the first two games last year. I expect the first game to be a little bit more special. Again, that's a natural adrenaline you can take onto the mound with them treating every at-bat like it's two outs, two strikes in the ninth inning.

Q. You've said a few times this year you don't consider yourself an ace yet. Do you still feel that way?

CAM SCHLITTLER: As I've told you before, I think an ace is someone that has longevity success in their career over a handful of seasons and they've shown consistency. I think I've shown consistency over a year and a half, but I still think we've got a long way to go. We've got a lot of guys in this rotation that have a lot of experience and have proven to be an ace.

I have confidence in myself to kind of treat myself like an ace, but I wouldn't really define that yet.

Q. What are some of the things you've learned from those other aces in your rotation?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Yeah, they've been great. Last year I had more Max and Carlos to lean on. I was able to learn a lot from them. This year with Gerrit back in the rotation, it's a whole different thing. Especially pitching after him for a lot of starts, just being able to watch him and learn from him and get his feedback.

It's been great to really rely on them, as long as Will and Weathers as well, just taking what we can from each other and applying that to each day, whether it came to catch-play, bullpens, or the next start.

Q. How in the last year or two have you learned sort of to feed off some of the online abuse or some of the clips of Red Sox fans that Chad has given you?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I wouldn't say I'm always on my phone looking for that stuff. At the same time, I don't really live under a rock as well. Found ways to use that to my advantage. I think I'm good at keeping receipts. At the end of the day, I'm locked into going in there tomorrow and doing my job.

Q. How does that motivate you?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I feel like I'm a competitor. Again, as I said, it's not something that bothers me. I'm going to go out there and do my job and put my team in the best position to win.

Q. Both you and Tolle have like 90-ish percentile -- 90-ish percent fastball usage with the three fastballs. How much have you been paying attention to what he does on the mound and kind of similarities of usage? And at what point in your career did you kind of have the realization like, oh, I can just throw stuff really hard and remain a starter with this power arsenal?

CAM SCHLITTLER: First, I didn't always throw that hard. That's something that's taken a few years to develop. I think once I kind of realized last year that the velo kept increasing that I was going to be in a good spot now. At the same time, adding the cutter, adding the two-seam wasn't something I initially thought was going to happen once I got drafted.

At the same time, I've been able to use that to my advantage, and the velo has stayed. I've put a lot of effort into working hard in the weight room on and off the field, taking care of my body, and I think it really just translates to that.

For Tolle, he's been amazing, right? Rookie year, it's been incredible to watch. It's fun to see someone else use the three variations of the fastball. I think when you look at a Game 1 matchup between Boston and New York, I think that's what the fans want to see.

Q. Cam, you said I'm good at keeping receipts. Have you found any receipts going into the start tomorrow?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Again, I don't live under a rock. I mean, there's always going to be motivation, fuel. At the same time, I'm not too worried about any of that. I feel like I did a good job proving that last year, and I expect to go out there tomorrow and do the same thing.

Q. Is it safe to say that you've collected a few in advance of the start tomorrow?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Close to the same question, but again --

(Laughter).

Yeah, we'll see. Again, my mind's on tomorrow and the game. I don't got to look too far to motivate myself, and I trust the guys in this locker room to go out there and compete to their best ability.

Q. Cam, I don't think anybody can pitch to a 195 E.R.A. without having a solid defense around them. Just how much would you say -- how much confidence do you have in the group as a whole, and in particular, there's a good chance you'll have a rookie shortstop behind you in George Lombard. What's your confidence level in those guys?

CAM SCHLITTLER: A hundred percent. I can't do it by myself. The defense and the offense has definitely picked me up throughout the season. I credit the defense for their ability, and we've had some injuries along the way, and it's been a tough season, but I feel like we've overcame that.

George has stepped up. Volpe's stepped up since he came back. Ryan's looked really good since returning from his injury, and the same thing with Jazz. We've had stability over at first base and the outfield, along with the injuries have played a huge role in our success with Spencer. So it's been great.

At the same time, I can't take all the credit with how well the E.R.A. looks, but I credit really -- I really do credit the guys behind me to help me get to where I'm at right now.

Q. How much, if at all, do you remember the Red Sox scouting you when you were in high school or college?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I wouldn't say there was really much of a scout there. Again, the connections that I had in college with the scouts, the Red Sox really weren't one of those. Matty Hyde was kind of my guy, and he had a lot of faith in me and he's the reason why I'm a Yankee. He's someone I credit a lot and someone I still talk to a lot this day, and we have a great connection.

Q. Cam, what were your goals in Spring Training for this season?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think the goals were to obviously make the rotation, stay healthy, and provide a full season and make all my starts. Obviously the end goal is to win a championship. I wouldn't say the personal awards or personal success was really the first thing that came to mind, but at the end of the day, it was to be healthy, put this team in a position to win, and win a championship.