Inside The Pinstripes

David Ortiz Has Cringy Moment Discussing Yankees' Cam Schlittler

New York Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler was the subject of an awkward moment on Fox's MLB broadcast.
Delilah Bourque|
Sep 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) walks off the mound after retiring the side in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Sep 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) walks off the mound after retiring the side in the fourth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

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New York Yankees

New York Yankees rookie starting pitcher Cam Schlittler has been the subject of lots of media attention this season, and it hasn't stopped in the postseason.

In a somewhat bizarre moment after the Yankees win against the Toronto Blue Jays, Fox Major League broadcaster David "Big Pappi" Ortiz asked his fellow broadcasters, including Yankees legend Derek Jeter, to pronounce the rookie's last name. After doing so one by one, Jeter laughed and asked Ortiz how he does it.

David Ortiz Awkward Moment

"Hitler," Ortiz responded after a pause.

The moment elicited big laughs from the table and the surrounding crew, with Jeter calling for the broadcast to go to commercial.

"Alright, let's go to a break, guys," he said with a chuckle.

Fox Major League Baseball host Kevin Burkhardt came up with a creative solution for Ortiz to avoid the uncomfortable, if somewhat humorous, mistake.

"Papi, you just call him Cam," he suggested. "You just call him Cam and, you know, maybe it'll be Mr. Cam depending on how he pitches tomorrow."

Cam Schlittler's Rookie Season with the Yankees

Despite the jokes about Schlittler's name, the rookie has been having an incredible breakout first MLB season. He threw a 2.96 ERA in 14 games through the regular season, and had a history-making save against the Boston Red Sox in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card Series.

Schlittler, who is a Massachusetts native, said after the win that secured the Yankees' place in the AL Division Series, that he was fired up after seeing Boston fans online making rude comments about him and his family.

"I texted my family 20 minutes before the game," Schlittler said, according to ESPN's Jorge Castillo. "I said, like, 'Hey, this is postseason baseball. It doesn't matter that we're from Boston. They're going to get under your skin. Just don't answer. Stay away from it. Don't give them an edge. We'll handle it after the game, whatever. And I'll go kick their ass.'"

Schlittler will have the opportunity to save his team once again when he steps up to the mound against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium. The Blue Jays smoked the Yankees in the first two rounds of the ALDS before an impressive offensive performance forced a Game 4. If Schlittler's pitching is anything like it was against Boston, the Yankees will travel to Toronto for a winner-take-all Game 5 later this week.

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Delilah Bourque
DELILAH BOURQUE

Delilah Bourque is a writer and copyeditor based out of Pittsburgh, PA. She received her Bachelor's degree from the University of Pittsburgh in 2021. After a few years in corporate marketing, she joined On SI as a full-time copyeditor and contributor to the New York Yankees On SI, as well as occasional contributions across the Pittsburgh Pirates and Pittsburgh Steelers on SI.

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