Cam Schlittler Has Earned His Place in AL MVP Race This Season

Aaron Judge may have been out for most of the year, but the New York Yankees still have Schlittler in the MVP running.

New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler has put himself in the AL MVP conversation based on his performance on the mound this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

A pitcher winning Most Valuable Player is rare, but it isn't totally out of the realm of possibility — especially this year when the upstart Cam Schlittler, who burst onto the scene last year for the New York Yankees, has had such a dominant season.

According to FanGraphs, four players have a WAR north of 5, and right behind Bobby Witt Jr. and Yordan Álvarez is the 25-year-old starter who, before this year, wasn't exactly featured on any of the big prospect boards.

Coming out of Spring Training last year, unless someone was deep into the Yankees farm system, it's fair to say that Schlittler was a relative unknown. Now he has the chance to finish with an ERA below 2.00, while collecting 200 strikeouts and throwing close to 200 innings. These marks should have him sitting right next to Álvarez and Witt at MLB Network's MVP show later this year.

Schlittler is having such a dominant year; it's the type of season few pitchers have ever had. He has had 20 starts with one earned run or fewer this year. According to Katie Sharp on X, that ties Whitey Ford in 1964 for second-most in Yankee history. Ron Guidry leads with 21 in 1978.

Schlittler is also coming off a dominant two-game run. In his last two starts, he has gone 15 IP, struck out 19, allowed five hits, hasn't given up a walk, and allowed 2 runs. It's the first time a pitcher has done that in the team's history, according to Sharp.

Cam Schlittler, Elevated 101mph ⛽️ pic.twitter.com/qR4vfBcywu

— Rob Friedman (@PitchingNinja) September 8, 2026

Extraordinary competition stands in Schlittler's way

It's important to note that Schlittler likely won't win. If anybody deserves it, it's probably Witt, who has been excellent on both sides of the ball.

It's hard to find such elite defense at a premium position while also hitting .280/.360/.448 with 18 home runs and 40 stolen bases. It's an extraordinary season for Witt, but Álvarez's offensive numbers are gaudy. He is hitting .310/.427/.589 with 38 homers. This year, voters will debate what they value more: offense or defense. Even still, with those two in the lead for AL MVP, Schlittler even being in the conversation is a big win in itself.

Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez is a contender for the AL MVP this season. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Unless Schlittler completely falls off to end the season, at a minimum, he'll win the American League Cy Young Award over fellow 5-WAR pitcher Dylan Cease. For him to even be in these MVP talks, though, is extraordinary. He's in legendary company as the last two pitchers to do that were Justin Verlander in 2011 and Clayton Kershaw in 2014. Those guys are Cooperstown-bound now.

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