Cam Schlittler dominates final test before postseason, Yankees top Orioles amid AL East race

Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News on Sep 27, 2025

Published in Baseball

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NEW YORK — Cam Schlittler passed his final audition with flying colors.

The rookie right-hander made his strongest case yet to be the Yankees’ No. 3 starter this postseason, hurling seven shutout innings in Saturday afternoon’s 6-1 win over the Baltimore Orioles in the Bronx.

Schlittler’s career-best start came under heightened pressure, considering the Yankees began the day tied with the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the American League East.

Toronto, which holds the tiebreaker over the Yankees, had not finished its game against the Tampa Bay Rays by the time the Yankees (93-68) wrapped up their win.

The division race will now be decided on Sunday, the final day of the regular season.

Armed with a fastball that repeatedly approached 100 mph, Schlittler held the Orioles to two hits, a walk and two hit-by-pitches. His nine strikeouts marked a career high, as did the seven innings.

Schlittler, 24, finished his rookie regular season with a 4-3 record, a 2.96 ERA and 84 strikeouts in 73 innings over 14 starts.

The Yankees have not made any announcements about their playoff rotation, but Schlittler would be lined up to pitch in a potential wild-card game 3 on Thursday on regular rest.

Of course, the Yankees hope to avoid the wild-card round altogether, which they would accomplish by winning the division.

Saturday’s win was the Yankees’ seventh in a row.

Schlittler received instant run support, as Aaron Judge struck his 53rd home run of the season in the first inning against right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano to give the Yankees a 1-0 lead.

That gave Judge 20 first-inning home runs this year, extending his MLB single-season record.

Giancarlo Stanton added a solo homer in the bottom of the second, and Ryan McMahon followed with his own solo shot later in the inning to make it a 3-0 game.

It was the second day in a row that Judge and Stanton both homered. Stanton hit two in Friday night’s win and now has 24 homers in 76 games this season.

Saturday’s score remained the same until an eventful fifth inning in which Judge, with the bases loaded, took a pair of strike calls on pitches that appeared to be inside.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone took exception and was ejected by home plate umpire Ramon De Jesus, prompting a spirited on-field argument.

Once play resumed, Judge lined a two-run single against left-handed reliever Grant Wolfram. Cody Bellinger capped that three-run inning with a sacrifice fly.

Judge finished 2 for 4 with three RBI on Saturday, boosting his MLB-leading average to .331 and his MLB-best OPS to 1.149.

Saturday’s coast-to-coast victory didn’t come without concern for the Yankees, however, as Jazz Chisholm Jr. was plunked in the left forearm by a 97-mph sinker from Wolfram and exited the game.

The hit-by-pitch left Chisholm in visible pain, and he immediately darted to the Yankees’ dugout. Initial X-rays came back negative for Chisholm, who was due to receive a CT scan.

Because they lost the head-to-head season series, the Yankees must finish with at least one more win than the Blue Jays to win the division.

The Yankees are sending Luis Gil (4-1, 3.29 ERA) to the mound for Sunday afternoon’s regular season finale, while Baltimore is set to counter with right-hander Kyle Bradish (1-1, 2.25 ERA).

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