The Massachusetts native Cam Schlittler donned the pinstripes for the first time. His parents, John and Christine, accompanied by a rallying squad who flew all the way from Walpole, cheered wildly for the right-hander. Allowing only four hits against the Seattle Mariners, Schlittler exited the mound with a four-run lead that sealed the Yankees’ 9-6 win.
A recorded audience of 35,651 gave the 24-year-old a standing ovation. He kept his head down but heard the whoop and embraced them. We all saw his poise, his 99.6 mph fastball, and his command. But what most of us didn’t see was the struggle he hid behind the scenes.
Jazz Chisholm Jr., whose locker was right next to the rookie, admitted postgame that Schlittler was “sick.” Adding more on that, when Chisholm was asked if Schlittler looked calm overall, he said, “I mean, his cheeks was red, so I don’t know how calm that is.” Chisholm added, “He did a great job. It looked like he was very calm on the mound, and he kept his composure with a couple things.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr, whose locker is next to Cam Schlittler’s, was asked if the rookie seemed calm today.
“I mean, his cheeks was red, so I don’t know how calm that is,” Chisholm said. “Nah, he did a great job. It looked like he was very calm on the mound, and he kept his composure…
— Gary Phillips (@GaryHPhillips) July 10, 2025
For the record, across Yankees’ history, only 10 pitchers have posted seven strikeouts in their major league debut. And you can now count Cam Schlittler in that historic club. At a 99.6 mph fastball, his very first major league strikeout came against the home run leader, Cal Raleigh. Across 5 1/3 innings, he gave up 3 runs on 4 hits.
And that performance and composure didn’t go unnoticed, especially by manager Aaron Boone. Speaking on Schlittler’s debut, he pointed out, “I know the upside that exists with him. And I know how much he’s improved over the last 12 months. So, just excited to see him go out there and do his thing see how somebody reacts. You know, it’s Yankee Stadium, you’re on the mound, you’re throwing the first pitch like there’s a lot to deal with. I think our guys do a really good great job of making him feel at home and comfortable.” Certainly.
In fact, Chisholm reportedly checked up on Schlittler time and again. Most of the time, the rookie cruised.
Boone continued, “He got here yesterday and got to kind of get his feet wet pregame on the taxi speed. So, just a really strong outing tonight.” Arriving a day prior gave Schlittler a chance to get to know the Bronx and his teammates. It’s surprising that despite feeling unwell, he delivered exceptionally.
The Yankees got their next big arm
On the sixth pitch already, the young righty threw a stellar 99.9-mph fastball. And guess what? All it took was ten pitches across his MLB career to record a 100 mph pitch.
Well, there are some who meet the debut expectations, and then there are some who exceed them. It’s safe to say that Cam Schlittler falls in the latter category.
In a 9-6 win against the Mariners, he didn’t let the Mariners score more than three runs across 5.1 innings. In fact, he also posted seven strikeouts, out of which he managed to take two against the Mariners’ star and league home run leader, Cal Raleigh.
The only tough moments that came for the rookie were when J.P. Crawford slammed a solo home run in the third inning and Jorge Polanco followed in the fourth. Otherwise, Schlittler had a stellar night, and he has successfully established himself as a reliable arm for the Yankees.
Opening up on his outing, Schlittler shared, “It’s really good to go out there and put the team in a position to win and live out that dream.” That dream was also lived by his parents, girlfriend, cousins, and friends, who stood in the stands cheering the loudest for him.
The post Jazz Chisholm Reveals Hidden Struggle Behind Cam Schlittler’s Unbelievable Debut as Aaron Boone Weighs In appeared first on EssentiallySports.
