AL DIVISION SERIES: YANKEES VS RAYS

October 3, 2026

Cam Schlittler

Tropicana Field

New York Yankees

Pregame 1 Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: We'll get started with Cam.

Q. Cam, when you look at the Rays lineup, what's some of the toughest parts of trying to get yourself through it on Monday?

CAM SCHLITTLER: They've got a great lineup, so some power guys at the top, some scrappy guys at the bottom. So obviously, their brand of baseball is putting the ball in play and putting pressure on the defense. So it's going to be a great match-up.

Q. Did you feel any differently after pushing to so many pitches, career high in pitches the other night? Do these days have to look any different because of that?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I felt good. I felt like I recovered good. Luckily, I got the extra day rest this time through. That kind of takes care of most of it. For the most part, sticking to the schedule.

Q. Cam, so this is the first time you, Max Fried, Gerrit Cole, all together in the postseason. How confident are you, not just them three, but the entire pitching staff, as you come back here to the ALDS?

CAM SCHLITTLER: Again, as I said, the pitching staff has been great all year. Obviously, we've had some injuries. Hasn't really lined up the way we want it to, but we've picked each other up. Now having, at least for right now, us three together has been -- it's going to be exciting. Obviously Carlos in there, Weathers is back. Will out of the bullpen. This rotation has been strong all year.

I expect us to go out there and put up quality starts and it's going to be fun to watch Gerrit tonight.

Q. Cam, on that note, I'm sure you've done a lot of homework already. Tonight, watching Gerrit out there, what do you watch for? What specifically can you pick up?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I've thrown behind Gerrit a few times this year. Again, just kind of can get a scouting report, kind of just based off his outing. He's very intellectual and we have a lot of conversations after his outing of what he did well and what he could have done better.

So it's important for me to, again, pay attention, see what he's doing, and kind of get a feel from that.

Q. Cam when you're going up against the great hitters like, specifically, their first three. How much is it you pitching to your strengths and how much is pitching away from their strengths?

CAM SCHLITTLER: At the end of the day, I'm always going to pitch to my strengths. I'd say it's probably 80 percent my strengths, 20 percent their weakness. For me, it's going out there, being confident in my stuff and attacking the zone.

Again, they have some good power guys at the top there, so just making sure I'm getting ahead and not giving free bases and kind of really just going from there.

They've got a great lineup. I've faced them a few times, and it will be good to go out there in a playoff situation.

Q. Last year, you were historically great against Boston. Next time out, you were good, but not as good in the loss to Toronto. Is that a memory that fuels you, motivates you at all?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I mean, yeah. I mean, Boston was a good outing. I still thought Toronto was a good outing. Obviously not as good. I thought I put us in a position to try to win the game. We obviously didn't have a good series. It's important for Gerrit to go out there and establish a strong presence tonight and for me to get the opportunity to go back home 2-0.

So last year hasn't really crossed my mind. I'm confident in what we've done as a team this year and I'm going to make sure I take that into Monday.

Q. Cam, is the preparation any different for a team that does not strike out, does not swing and miss as much? The Rays led the Majors in both those categories.

CAM SCHLITTLER: Not really. The strikeout stuff is there. At the same time, I think it's more important to limit the long counts. Again, not giving free bases. I'm still confident in my strikeout stuff. I feel like if I need to get one, I'm going to be able to do that.

So the game plan doesn't change. But I'm always willing to sacrifice strikeouts for weak contact quick outs.

Q. The road numbers were really good this year, obviously. What do you like about pitching on the road? Some players talk about how they like silencing a loud home crowd. Is that part of it for you?

CAM SCHLITTLER: For sure. Again, like, I don't know why the splits are the way they were. But at the same time, I feel like I pitched really good at home in the back end. On the road, I feel like, again, going into an away crowd and silencing that is a great feeling.

I wouldn't say there's really too much of an away crowd here. I expect there to be a lot of Yankees fans. In some ways, you are, to an extent, kind of playing at home. I feel like the guys are excited to have that atmosphere here.

Q. Cam, you and Ben Rice were obviously a big part of the team this year. George Lombard, Jr. has come up. Spencer Jones is part of it, too. What's it like for all you young guys to kind of get together here as part of the group?

CAM SCHLITTLER: It's great. Again, obviously, Ben contributing a lot last year, me just kind of learning the ropes, and Spencer comes up and George, as well. They've taken advantage of their opportunity and they've been amazing since they've gotten up here.

So it's exciting to watch. Obviously, I played with both of them in the Minors, and just the growth as players has been tremendous, and they've contributed pretty heavily in the Wild Card. So it will be exciting to see what they do this series.

Q. You're obviously all different personalities. Is there one thing you guys all have in common, you think?

CAM SCHLITTLER: I think the ability to adapt. Play under the pressure, work hard. Those guys work hard. I would say I work hard. So the goal is to be a Yankee forever when you get drafted by them. So I know the guys are determined to meet that end goal, and they take it day by day and are going to put the work in to have the success out on the field.

THE MODERATOR: Cam, thanks so much. Appreciate it.

CAM SCHLITTLER: Thank you.