Why Cam Schlittler Should Be Easy Choice for Yankees as Their Game 1 Starter

The New York Yankees shouldn't overthink who should be their game one starter in October.

Based on his body of work this season, New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler should be the Game 1 starter when the playoffs roll around. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Harold Reynolds made it clear on MLB Network on Monday who he thought should be the New York Yankees' Game 1 starter in the playoffs. To him, it's Gerrit Cole. His reasoning is simple. Cole has been the big horse for close to a decade, and that should be reason enough for him to get the nod.

"In a three-game series, especially, he's Game 1," Reynolds said of Cole. "One, he's the alpha male. I'm just throwing that out there. I think it's Gerrit Cole's team. He's starting game one. Here's the other thought behind it. If Schlittler is my best pitcher, I know he's gonna win. If I can steal game one with Gerrit Cole, the series is over in Game 2."

"In a three-game series, especially, [Gerrit Cole] is Game 1."

Harold explains why he believes Cole should be the Yankees' Game 1 starter over Cam Schlittler. #MLBTonight pic.twitter.com/FI09M7RJ5c

— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 14, 2026

The issue with this line of thinking here is that no other team would do this, and it should still be the case if Cole has been lights out. Looking ahead to the playoffs, the Los Angeles Dodgers are going with Tarik Skubal in Game 1. Gavin Williams will likely be the one for the Cleveland Guardians. These teams are starting their best pitcher in Game 1 and won't want to give away the first game of a series.

Cam Schlittler needs to be the Yankees' Game 1 starter in the playoffs

Just as those teams are going with their best pitchers, so too should the Yankees with Cam Schlittler. Schlittler needs to start Game 1, as he'll be in line to pitch another game if needed in a five-game series.

If the Yankees end up pushing him to Game 2, it would be easier to start him on short rest for Game 5 than if he started the first game of the series. However, things get a little trickier if he's starting a Game 5 on short rest. It's a position Schlittler has never been in in his career.

With the season he's having, New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler should get the ball first in a playoff series. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Schlittler's body of work speaks for itself, and it's the main reason he should start Game 1 in the playoffs.

This season, the 25-year-old hurler has a 14-6 record and a 1.95 ERA across 31 starts, making him a favorite in the AL Cy Young race. He has held opponents to a .185 batting average. Schlittler also has a 31.6% strikeout rate (228 strikeouts in 184.2 innings) and isn't giving up much hard contact (39.2% hard-hit rate).

In addition to winning the Cy Young Award, Schlittler will likely be a finalist for the American League Most Valuable Player Award. In recent years, that distinction went to Justin Verlander and Clayton Kershaw, and imagine if those guys were ushered into a Game 2 situation? It just wouldn't happen.

Aaron Boone has had a lot of tough choices given all the injuries his roster has sustained. The easiest one so far might be that Cam Schlittler is his Game 1 starter. Not many teams can say they're starting a potential MVP. He also has postseason experience. His start against Boston in the Wild Card series was legendary and something a rookie pitcher has never done. There's no reason to believe Schlittler can't do it again.

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