From Bryan Hoch:
Cam Schlittler didn’t need extra motivation to elevate his first October test, but the Yankees rookie received it anyway – and the Red Sox wound up paying the price.
Having absorbed ugly online chirps from Red Sox Nation, the Walpole, Mass., native admitted the barbs made the night “personal for me.” He transformed them into fuel for a dazzling, history-making performance, striking out 12 across eight scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory in Thursday’s decisive Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.
“People from Boston had a lot to say before the game,” Schlittler said. “For me, just being a silent killer, being able to go out there and shut them down. … I’m from Boston. I didn’t like some of the things they were saying today. I was just making sure I was going out there and extra locked in.”
Schlittler declined to reveal specifics – “I’m not going to get into it,” he said – but he did say it came from fans, not players.
“There’s a line I think they crossed a little bit,” Schlittler said. “I’m a competitor. I’m going to go out there and make sure I shut them down. You know Boston fans. It’s just how it is. We’re aggressive back home and we’re gonna try and get under peoples’ skin. They just picked the wrong guy to do it to – and the wrong team to do it to as well.”
Here is a case where a featured image says a thousand words, as this shot is of the moment when Yankee Stadium was the loudest it has been in the playoffs, and it was for Cam Schlittler COMING BACK on to the mound in the eighth inning, as the fans realized that Aaron Boone was sticking with his young rookie for the 8th inning. Amazing stuff.
Schlittler was just dominant tonight. As I noted in a comment, nothing is going to beat Roger Clemens’ performance against Seattle in 2000 (where he threw a complete game shutout with 15 strikeouts, two walks, and one hit against a lineup with Alex Rodgriguez and Edgar Martinez batting #3/4) in terms of dominant Yankees pitching performances in the postseason that I’ve seen, but the fact that Schlittler was even in the same ballpark as that game by Clemens is amazing, especially since Clemens was a five-time Cy Young winner at the time (while also having one of the most embarrassing robbed Cy Young in 1990, because Bob Welch had a fluky amount of wins for a great Athletics team), and Schlittler is, you know, a 24-year-old rookie.
It’s kind of weird how aggro Schlittler is being with Red Sox fans (after the game, he later posted on social media, “Drinking dat dirty water”), but hey, whatever floats your boat, dude. If it helps you concentrate on throwing strikes, go for it.
Connolly Early, meanwhile, also pitched outstanding baseball, and Alex Cora did a great job, I though, with sticking with HIS young pitcher even as the game got away from him due to bad defense from Nathaniel Lowe. By the way, Early got fucked by his defenders to be sure, but even if Rafaela catches Belli’s flyball, the next five batters were a walk, a strikeout, and then THREE singles, and while Wells’ ball shouldn’t have been a two-run error, of course, it was also hit over 100 MPH, so it wasn’t like some easy play. I could even argue that it should have been ruled a hit, due to how hard it was hit. So yes, Early got fucked by the defense behind him, but he also would have given up runs in that inning no matter what. But yes, he also pitched very well, and Boston should be pumped about him.
Hopefully for the Yankees’ future chances, the Red Sox don’t spend a lot of money this offseason, as they have a good, young team (Crochet and Brayan Bello are both just 26 years old!!!), and with some savvy free agency moves, they could be a tough team next year. Then again, as I have noted for a while now, the 2026 Yankees will have Cole, Fried, Rodon, and Schlittler at the top of their rotation, with Luis Gil as their FIFTH starter, Will Warren to pitch multiple innings in relief, and Clarke Schmidt returning at the All-Star break. So, well, you know, 2026 looks bright for a few different teams (imagine if Lombard could do anything).
But in the short term, just enjoy the fuck out of this win. The Red Sox had beaten the Yankees in three straight postseason series (that said, we’re talking 2004, 2018, and 2021, so it is kind of hard to take it too seriously as a “streak” when it’s spread out like that, and when it is only three series), so it was nice to get the best of them for a change.
As an aside, Giancarlo Stanton fucked up in the second inning, admiring a drive that he thought was a home run, but only hit off of the fence, and was only barely able to make it to second for a double (to be fair, it’s not like Stanton would have reached third either way, so no harm no foul), and after the game he hilariously (and drunkenly, it appeared) told viewers, “Kids at home, don’t do that. Future opponents, please do that. Bonehead play.” Nice to see some personality from Big G (and also nice to see him hit a ball hard in the series. Hopefully it bodes well for the ALDS).
Toronto looms, as the Yankees try to reverse their regular season records against another AL East rival.
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The end of the regular season included taking 2 of 3 from Boston and Toronto (and then an 8 game winning streak against lesser opponents) so I’m not that shocked they won 2 of 3 now (with Boone blowing the one loss). Let’s hope that continues against Toronto.
They are definitely playing good ball right now….I just wish they would hit better with men on base.
Let’s hope they adjust to the pitching level and can hit to – if not their overall level of possibly the best offense in baseball, then at least the level of a lesser offense that doesn’t melt into thin air in the presence of a pitcher who doesn’t just suck.
If they can do that, there’s no one in the AL that should especially scare them.
I’m really not worried about Toronto. I mean, I’m not confident they’ll win, they can easily lose a game with no help from the opponent, but I’m not scared. Toronto is just not that strong. What pitcher of theirs is even as good as Early much less Bello or Crochet? And their offense isn’t very deep either. hopefully the Yankees will hit like the best offense in baseball and then it’ll be a laugher.
They’re clearly better than Toronto, but they were clearly better than Boston, and they only barely avoided getting swept.
Luis Gil is also pitching Game 1. THAT ain’t great.
I’m gonna need a drunken Stanton postgame interview every game from now on, thanks.
To be a little fair to Stanton, that was 114.5 mph off the bat. He crushed that pitch. It had more top spin and just dove in the outfield. It had an LA of 18* which is a bullet line drive. I don’t know how to sort/search custom batted ball events for players on Statcast, but I would guess that 114.5 mph at 18 degrees is a HR for Stanton nearly every time.
But he owned up to it in a great way and it didn’t cost them.
Great game and Schlittler is a stone cold killer.
Let’s knock out the Blue Jays, show the Mariners the door and send Ohtani back to his bookie for the winter.
This is the first time that the Yankees and Blue Jays have played in the postseason, right?
That’s somewhat surprising.
The Standells
https://x.com/cam32schlittler/status/1973965198223683985?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
Ummm, what does the “dat dirty water” thing mean?
Standells 1966
I’m gonna tell you a story
I’m gonna tell you about my town
I’m gonna tell you a big fat story, baby
Oh, it’s all about my town
Yeah, down by the river
Down by the banks of the river Charles
Oh, that’s what’s happenin’, baby
That’s where you’ll find me
Along with lovers, muggers, and thieves
Oh, but they’re cool people
Well, I love that dirty water
Oh, Boston, you’re my home
Oh, you’re the number one place
Ha! Thanks
Ah, I know that.
But how on earth does HE know that?!!!
It’s basically the Red Sox theme song.
They play it at Fenway after wins. It’s their “New York, New York.”
https://www.wgbh.org/news/local/2022-04-14/the-unlikely-story-of-how-dirty-water-became-a-fenway-anthem
Cool. I’ve heard it, then, but I didn’t notice it the way you can’t help noticing Sweet Caroline…
Will Fried be able to start the 1st game?
I doubt it. He’d be going on 3 days rest. Then you have either Gil in game 2 or else Rodon on 3 days rest. Might as well use Gil in game 1 against the Jays best starter, then in games 2-4 the Yankees should have the pitching advantage.
Just a fantastic performance from Schlittler. Boone never would have left him in for the 8th if he hadn’t been raked over the coals for the last few days for pulling Fried.
I don’t even think pulling Fried was a terrible decision, but going to Weaver (and then Bednar) was.
Exactly!
Yep, Boone is a total reactive manager. Move A flops, so he does the opposite of Move A next time, no matter whether it makes sense or not, just so long as it is the opposite of Move A.
Hoch Who would you start in ALDS Game 1?
https://x.com/bryanhoch/status/1974148482392068133?s=61&t=fhOaqwtc8q2TMSXUDRjPeg
The Mets are still waiting on the golf course for the Yankees to show up, only now they’re back on the front nine.
Carlos Mendoza might be back as Mets manager in 2026, but he’ll have any number of new coaches.
https://www.mlb.com/news/eric-chavez-jeremy-hefner-mets-hitting-pitching-coaches-not-returning-in-2026
I don’t get how you get rid of Hafner. The rest of them, who cares. Gibbons, I believe, asked to leave on his own (they probably WOULD have still fired him, but still).
Boone confirms Gil for game 1
Warren and Slater available in relief.
From Yankee threads on Sons of Sam Horn
caity
@ktmob
gerrit cole was actually out for the season bc he gave birth to cam schlittler
I kept wondering last night how much Devers would have owned Schlittler.
I am sure many Red Sox fans were wondering the same thing.
Most swing and misses on a FB in post season since 2008 when tracking began.
https://x.com/MLBNow/status/1974186941886124299
Really good analysis of Nettles for the Hall, including the arguments against.
The strong argument for comes pretty late in the piece, but it’s worth it.
https://www.cooperstowncred.com/puff-the-hall-of-fame-case-for-graig-nettles/
Also in that article it mentions that Nettles played for Billy Martin in Denver in 1968, and that “Martin took over the Bears in May and turned the 7-22 team around, leading the squad to a 66-50 record for the rest of the season.”
Now that’s a manager.
I keep reading about how Tony Mansolino “turned the Orioles around,” because he went one game over .500 with a team that had dug a big hole in six weeks.
I do hope that’s the level of success the Orioles hope to lock in for the future.
Wow, that site is an opus. Could read these all day. Thanks for showing us!
Yanks currently +110/TOR -110.
I have it more like +130/-130.
Leiter out for Gil, everything else stays the same. I’m surprised they chose Blackburn over Leiter. There was talk of adding Slater for Escarra but didn’t happen. No Yarbrough, guess they didn’t like what they saw from him post injury.
It’s FASCINATING to me that they like Blackburn more than Leiter, Yarbrough, AND Yerry.
And heck, with Barger involved, I wounder whether Headrick could have been useful, as well, to get another lefty in there to face Barger in a big spot.
It would have been nice to see what Warren could do coming out of the bullpen during the regular season, but they didn’t really have that chance with the division still up for grabs. His stuff should translate well to a relief role, but he does have the tendency to implode without warning.
Mitch Bannon “ The #BlueJays’ playoff roster is out.
SS Bo Bichette is not on it. Neither is Max Scherzer or Chris Bassitt.
Jays’ pitching gonna get weird.
There’s a Tik Tok video of Yankee fans serenading David Cone on the subway after game 3.
https://www.reddit.com/r/NYYankees/comments/1nxffys/david_cone_on_the_subway_after_the_game/
CF T. Grisham L
RF Aaron Judge R
LF C. Bellinger L
1B Ben Rice L
DH G. Stanton R
2B J. Chisholm L
3B Ryan McMahon L
SS A. Volpe R
C Austin Wells L
I actually sort of like the logic here, as you can easily pinch-hit Rosario for McMahon if they bring in a lefty for Jazz/McMahon, but you can’t as easily pinch-hit for Wells.
So figure the Blue Jays to go:
Gausman
Yesavage
Bieber
Lauer as opener/bullpen game
Gausman
Interesting approach.
You can’t tell me the Blue Jays are thrilled with having to start Yesavage in Game 2.
Not Bieber
Yeah, I don’t get it. Do they think Bieber would be better at Yankee Stadium for some reason?
No surprises
T Grisham (L) CF
A Judge (R) RF
C Bellinger (L) LF
B Rice (L) 1B
G Stanton (R) DH
J Chisholm Jr. (L) 2B
R McMahon (L) 3B
A Volpe (R) SS
A Wells (L) C
Not a great believer in the Brewers, but holy shit that was fast.