The Yankees Best Use of Cam Schlittler in the ALDS

The Yankees might need two wins out of their ace this series if they plan to go to the ALCS.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) reacts after being taken out of the game against the Boston Red Sox by manager Aaron Boone (17) during the seventh inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

If there's one thing that will carry the New York Yankees deep into the postseason, it's their pitching. This is the longest the starting rotation has been healthy at once, and it happened at just the right time. No matter how deep a postseason series goes, they'll have a chance to start a frontline starter in game one of each series if they make it out of the previous round.

While Cam Schlittler won't start Game 1, the Yankees should be in good hands with former Cy Young winner Gerrit Cole. It gets tricky if this series goes to a game five, and they need another start from him in an elimination game. If there are any thoughts of overusing their young ace, or that he may be needed in the next round, all of that should be thrown out the window. That should be Schlittler's game.

Game two would be on October fifth. Game five is October tenth. That would give Schlittler four days' rest between. It's pretty much a normal routine, and he has had 15 such games with four days' rest between starts. He has a 2.21 ERA in 85.1 IP with 106 strikeouts and 23 walks.

New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler (31) reacts after handing the ball to manager Aaron Boone (17) during a pitching change during the seventh inning of game one of the Wildcard round of the 2026 MLB Playoffs against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The reason for starting Schlittler twice is that, on paper, those are two games that the Yankees should win. That means they need at least one great start from Cole, Carlos Rodon, and Max Fried. Given the depth of starting pitching the Yankees have, they should be able to win at least one of those games. The Schlittler ones are must-win, though. They can't afford to drop any of them.

A better place than they were last year

If they are forced to pitch Schlittler in game five, he probably wouldn't get on the mound until at least game three of the ALCS. At that point, the only other time they could pitch Schlittler would be game seven.

Around this time last year, the Yankees started Luis Gil in game one of the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. The lack of pitching was part of why they couldn't make it out of that series and got handed ugly losses in those first two games on the road. With Cole in game one and Schlittler in game two, they need to split those games at least and then take the series to Yankee Stadium.

The Yankees are in better shape now than they were last postseason—at least on paper.