A harmless-seeming broadcast question turned Michael Kay into the target of a full-on Yankees pile-on.
During YES Network’s coverage of New York’s 5-3 win over the Nationals, Kay tossed out a hypothetical about Cam Schlittler and the Yankees’ first series after the All-Star break. With the club set to open the second half against the Dodgers, Kay asked whether the Yankees might consider holding Schlittler back so Los Angeles would not get a look at him before a possible postseason meeting.
“Does a manager think that far ahead?” Kay asked.
Joe Girardi, working alongside him as an analyst, shut it down immediately.
“No,” Girardi said, before adding, “it’s too far away, you gotta get there.”
Girardi did leave room for a more ordinary explanation. If Schlittler’s turn got pushed back, he suggested, it would be about rest, not secrecy.
“So maybe he throws Sunday,” Girardi said.
He then made the broader point plain.
“I think it’s way too soon to think about that,” Girardi said.
That was enough to set off a wave of reaction online, and most of it came down hard on the premise. Plenty of Yankees fans said the idea was way too far ahead of the moment, especially with New York sitting in second place, the trade deadline still ahead, and the division race still very much alive.
Others pushed back on the logic itself, arguing that one skipped start would not exactly erase Schlittler from the Dodgers’ scouting report. He is still lined up for plenty more outings before October, and a team like Los Angeles would have other ways to get familiar with him.
A smaller group saw it differently. Some defended the question as a reasonable conversation starter, while others figured Kay was simply trying to keep the broadcast moving and give Girardi a chance to offer a manager’s view.
The social media reaction reflected that split.
@Christian_NYYST noted, “It’s July 12 and the Yankees are in second place, so the answer is no; and separately, “It’s a one-run game. Get Girardi’s perspective on that.”
@Jeff165304 (Suzie Q) argued “It’s a legitimate question, to potentially not expose him to the Dodgers so they’re not as familiar with him when the playoffs come around. But sure let’s hate on Michael Kay because it’s the cool kids thing to do. You guys all must be fun at parties 🤣”
@Moot22514778 said, “Not dumb unless Schlittler plays “the Greg Maddux game” of pacing himself against a future opponent.”
@btrnobody tweeted, “Kay was likely just generating discussion and teeing up Girardi for a manager’s perspective.”
@JerseyGeneral34. offered a middle read, , suggesting the host was mostly trying to spark discussion and set up the former Yankees manager for a bench perspective, “ Maybe he was just filling airtime.”
@HomelessNeenja pushed back on the World Series framing entirely, “World Series? These games all matter, pointing to what happened with Toronto last year.”
@Puszkarczu72605 sarcastically notes Schlittler will make 10-12 more starts and the Dodgers aren’t worried about one look, “LOL, YES, dumb question, like advanced scouting and they are not gonna see him make 10-12 more starts. Lol.
Yes, dumb question. WTF?
Not like the Dodgers are even worried about it.”
@mikedorb1 kept it short, questioning why the topic came up at all and asking, “Why would Kay even ask Girardi that?”
@Ghostofyankees1 was more scathing, “That’s moronic. Stupid on multiple levels. Kay and Boone should open up an learing center.”
Lost in the uproar was the pitcher at the center of it all. Schlittler has been the Yankees’ most reliable arm, going 9-5 with an American League-leading 2.05 ERA, 137 strikeouts and a 0.94 WHIP over 118 2/3 innings in his second big league season.
His workload is the real issue the Yankees are watching. ESPN projects him for about 201 innings this year after he logged 191 last season, so the club has reason to manage his innings carefully.
That is why Schlittler has already opted to skip the All-Star start in Philadelphia and stay on his usual routine with the second half in mind. The Yankees have also lined him up to open the second half at home against the Dodgers.
The broader schedule picture is straightforward: New York enters the break at 54-42, second in the AL East and three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays.
So while the broadcast question set off a loud debate, the actual decision around Schlittler is much simpler. It’s about rest, not hiding him from anyone.
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