The Yankees left Sunday with a Subway Series win in hand and one lingering issue they can’t just brush aside. Cam Schlittler was brilliant for six innings against the Mets, then took a 111.5 mph liner off the back of his right hamstring on his final pitch and headed straight for the clubhouse.
That moment turned the final out into the day’s real storyline. Schlittler’s work had already pushed him to the top of the major league ERA leaderboard at 1.95, but the injury scare is what now has New York paying close attention.
Aaron Boone tried to keep the temperature down after the game. He said the ball hit Schlittler hard in the hamstring area and said he hoped the 25-year-old would be OK. That was encouraging, but it was not a full all-clear.
Schlittler sounded even more upbeat when he spoke afterward.
“Feeling good. Hamstring, hard hit.
So it’ll be a fun couple days trying to get that recovered. But I think we’re in a good spot,” the Yankees ace said.
The play itself made the concern easy to understand. Bo Bichette’s liner came off at 111.5 mph, struck Schlittler behind the right thigh, and kicked back toward the plate. Austin Wells then handled the ball and threw Bichette out at first to end the sixth.
Even with Schlittler leaving early, the Yankees finished the job. They beat the Mets to take two of three in the series, moved to 86-63 and got within one result of clinching their ninth postseason berth in 10 seasons.
They’re still four games back of Tampa Bay in the AL East, but the club also got offense from Ben Rice and Austin Wells, who each hit solo homers. Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and David Bednar covered the rest after Schlittler exited, and Bednar earned his 34th save.
For now, the biggest question is how Schlittler responds over the next few days. The Yankees have not said he is fully clear from the comebacker, and as of Monday afternoon there had been no new diagnosis or imaging result announced.
The timing matters because his schedule is lined up in a way New York really wants to preserve. Schlittler is currently expected to start Saturday, Sept. 19, against Arizona at Chase Field.
CBS Sports lists him as the probable Yankees starter for that game. If he stays on normal rest after that, he would then line up again Sept. 24 against Tampa Bay at Yankee Stadium, potentially putting him on the mound in the series finale against the team New York is chasing in the division.
That’s why even a minor setback would matter. The Yankees want Schlittler ready for October, but they also want to avoid throwing off the rotation alignment that could place him in one of their most important remaining divisional games.
Boone made clear just how valuable Schlittler has become. Asked about his pitcher’s worth, the manager went beyond the Cy Young conversation.
“He might be the MVP, too,” Boone said.
It’s not hard to see why he said it. Schlittler is 14-6 with a 1.95 ERA and 228 strikeouts in 184 2/3 innings. He has allowed one run or fewer in 21 of his 31 starts, a Yankees franchise record, and has 16 starts of at least six innings with no more than one run allowed, another club mark.
His road work has been just as striking. Schlittler owns a 1.14 road ERA, the lowest by a qualified major league starter since 1995. Given the rotation injuries the Yankees have dealt with, that kind of stability has mattered a lot.
The outing also carried a little extra edge after Saturday’s 12-2 loss, when Mets fans were loud throughout Yankee Stadium. Schlittler said that noise stuck with him.
“It’s a little frustrating yesterday, just hearing all the Mets chants. Just kind of wanted to make sure I could come in here today and kind of shut that down.
Great series win there. It’s always good to win the Subway Series,” Schlittler said.
He did exactly that before the scare. Francisco Lindor struck out twice, Juan Soto went hitless and the Mets managed only Brett Baty’s fifth-inning double before Schlittler departed. The Yankees’ bullpen completed the club’s 14th shutout of the season.
So New York got the win, got the series, and got closer to the postseason. What it still doesn’t know is whether Schlittler’s right hamstring will let that schedule stay intact.
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