AL WILD CARD SERIES: RED SOX VS YANKEES

September 29, 2026

Cam Schlittler

Yankee Stadium

New York Yankees

Postgame Press Conference

Yankees - 9, Red Sox - 0

Q. Cam, you were hitting triple digits out of the gate tonight. Just how amped up were you for tonight's start? And what made you really lean on your curveball early in this one?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Yeah, just as I talked about yesterday, the natural adrenaline, just the environment and how loud it was, I think definitely helped. And just being able to lean on that.

The curveball felt good. Was able to get that in the zone, get the miss below the zone as well. I feel like there wasn't really an adjustment there.

Q. Was your plan going into the game to use your curveball more because maybe they've seen you a lot, or was it just feeling good?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think a mix of both. I mean, don't want to give you too much. But at the same time, I think I used it last start. I was comfortable with that against them. I feel like today just in the bullpen warming up, it was good. I feel like I was able to execute that pitch a lot tonight.

Q. Do you appreciate -- the Yankee fans obviously like great years, great players, but if you really want to be a legend around here, you've got to do great in the postseason and great against the Red Sox, and you're kind of doing both. What do you think about that?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Yeah, I mean, the job's not done. We've gotta get another win tomorrow. But it's very well known that if you want to be a legend, which is obviously the goal, you've got to do it in the postseason. So go out there and have dominant starts and put the team in the position to win. And that's kind of the most important thing.

I thought a lot of guys today did a great job of that. And we're definitely headed in the right direction.

Q. You mentioned throwing the curveball more in your last start. How do you feel that pitch has progressed this season? You've gone to it a bit and gone away from it a bit as well.

CAM SCHLITTLER: It's been great. Obviously I've had some bumpy starts throughout the season. And that's a pitch I've been able to rely on. So just adding that more into the arsenal and being confident with that pitch. And the amount of miss and weak contact I'm getting with that, I feel like I'm in a really good spot with it.

Q. You were at 107 pitches after that sixth inning. Did you expect to go back out, and what was that conversation like in the dugout?

A. Yeah, I mean I expected to get one more. Got two more. I obviously didn't finish it off there. But I mean obviously Paul comes in there gets the big double play and bales me out.

Q. Was there a point this season, a moment or a game, where you really felt confident in that curveball and you realize, like, okay, this is a pitch that I can turn to more often if I need to?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think the White Sox start, I think it was in a good spot. I feel like I was throwing it harder. Obviously it wasn't as hard and over the last month or so. But I feel like the movement on that pitch and the execution of that pitch and the location have been really good kind of since then.

And just after that I was just able to really feel comfortable throwing that and knowing that it's another pitch I could use to slow them down a bit.

Q. What did Ben's home run do for you there? I mean you're in a tight game trying to protect 1-0 lead. He puts one in Monument Park. Does that feel like a big run in that game based on how close things were?

CAM SCHLITTLER: 100 percent, I mean their guy was pitching really well. And Ben does an excellent job today. Obviously caps it off there with a grand slam. Wellsy starts us off there. So I mean he's been amazing all season. And obviously another local guy, so it's a great feeling to see him go out there and dominate.

Q. So much has been talked about where you and Ben come from. How much do you guys appreciate and enjoy that link you have of coming from New England and beating the Red Sox?

CAM SCHLITTLER: We love it. Mid-round guys, Ben has excelled very well in the organization. He was someone I knew while I was in the minors of how well he was excelling. And, again, it's great to be teammates with him and have that comfortability being from home. And he's been dominant all season. It's very exciting to watch. And I'm glad he can go out there today and get his flowers.

Q. Can you kind of compare I guess your emotional state from last year's game to this year? Were you more amped up last year because it was your first time or maybe more this time because you knew what that feeling was like and you wanted to go get it again?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think the expectation is the same. I feel like I went in there today with the same mindset. Again, it's a different feeling going out there and setting the tone in Game 1.

But, again, with how loud it was with the intros and the first pitch, it's very easy to log into that. I feed off the crowd. And the Bronx is a great place to play.

Q. What did it mean to you to be trusted to get the Yankees off to a good start in the postseason?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I mean, again, as I said yesterday, I appreciate Booney for giving me that opportunity and trusting me. I know the guys back that up, and it's good to go out there and kind of proof them right and put them in a position to sweep tomorrow.

Q. You mentioned the fans. What did you make of the MVP chants?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I mean, we already got an MVP in this locker room. He's won three of them. So, I mean, if he were in there this whole season, he'd probably have it.

I mean, it's a good feeling. I wouldn't say I am an MVP. But it's good to kind of embrace that fact from the fans. And just knowing that they trust me and they have full confidence in me to get outs is kind of really all that matters.

Q. You mentioned you and Ben, mid-round guys. Is that something you've talked about that you take pride in that specific where you came from and where you were drafted?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Yeah, we love it. We have a lot of conversations with Matty Hyde, and I know he's proud of us. And, again, we wouldn't be here without him. Just to have the confidence of being mid-round guys, having to work a little bit harder to get up here and embrace that together, it's special.

Q. We had some fun last year with you talking about the extra motivation from some friends back home. Just curious if you heard anything this year or if you fed off anything or heard anything good this year?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think they learned their lesson last year. Again, a lot of my buddies are here from home. I haven't seen them in seven months. It's special that they're here supporting me. I know they had a great time tonight regardless. They're still Red Sox fans. But at the end of the day, they support me, and I think they know better than to try and mess around with it.

Q. Rutschman had a ten-pitch at-bat in that first inning, second bat of the game. What kind of adjustment did you have to make, or did you have to make anything at all after that?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Yeah, he's a great player, great guy. I had some really good conversation with him in Philly. He's a tough out. He's probably the toughest out there.

It makes me work a little bit there, gets the broken bat single. And I feel like I made a good adjustment as the game went on just trying to limit the pitch count with him. And luckily I was able to get myself out of that in the next two times.