Cam Schlittler has a steady source of advice in his corner, and it’s not just any old voice from the past. Andy Pettitte has become a regular presence for the Yankees’ rookie right-hander, checking in during games and after starts as Schlittler tries to navigate the biggest moments of the season.
The two have built a strong relationship, and Schlittler says he’s comfortable reaching out when he needs a second opinion in the middle of an outing.
“Sometimes during the outing, I’ll be like, ‘Hey,’ or I’ve got to ask him a question and see what he’s thinking, and I’ll do that,” Schlittler told Brendan Kuty of The Athletic. “I know that he loves that, just knowing that I’ve got faith in him and his opinions.”
Pettitte has been locked in on Schlittler all season. Per The Athletic, he “watched all 3,041 pitches” the young starter threw during a Cy Young-worthy year in which Schlittler went 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts.
That connection doesn’t stop once the game ends, either. Schlittler said Pettitte keeps the communication flowing after every outing.
“He texts me a lot after every start,” Schlittler said of Pettitte, per The Athletic. “He’s always supported me. He’s someone that I’ve been able to get along with really well and just express my feelings if I feel like I need to.”
Pettitte, now a special advisor to Yankees GM Brian Cashman, also works with other pitchers on the staff. Will Warren said Pettitte has a knack for settling things down when emotions run hot.
“I have come in storming mad after the inning and he’s very much like, ‘Breathe, calm down, you’re still in this, you’re in the game,’” Will Warren said.
Now the Yankees are asking Schlittler to deliver again. He gets the ball in a must-win Game 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays on Monday night after New York dropped Game 1, 1-0, on Saturday in a game started by Gerrit Cole.
The assignment is clear: bring the power fastball that showed up in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series against the Red Sox, when Schlittler hit 101 mph and struck out 10 over 6 1/3 innings.
The stakes are simple from here. If the Yankees win, the series goes back to Yankee Stadium tied at 1-1 for Game 3 on Wednesday, when either Max Fried or Carlos Rodon will start. If they lose, they’ll be down 0-2 and staring at elimination.
Pettitte would obviously prefer the first outcome, but he also sees something bigger in Schlittler. The former Yankees ace believes the 25-year-old has the tools to anchor the staff for a long time.
“I do,” Pettitte said. “For one reason, he did it last year.
He’s been there. He understands it.
He had big moments last year. And then, of course, he’s great.
He has great stuff. He’s a great pitcher.
So, he’s got the makeup and he’s got the skills, and he’s been blessed with the ability to do it.”
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