Welcome to October! Schlittler shakes off Boston barbs with 12-K masterpiece

NEW YORK – Cam Schlittler didn’t need extra motivation to elevate his first October test, but the Yankees rookie received it anyway – and the Red Sox wound up paying the price.

Having absorbed ugly online chirps from Red Sox Nation, the Walpole, Mass., native admitted the barbs made the night “personal for me.” He transformed them into fuel for a dazzling, history-making performance, striking out 12 across eight scoreless innings in a 4-0 victory in Thursday’s decisive Game 3 of the American League Wild Card Series at Yankee Stadium.

“People from Boston had a lot to say before the game,” Schlittler said. “For me, just being a silent killer, being able to go out there and shut them down. … I’m from Boston. I didn’t like some of the things they were saying today. I was just making sure I was going out there and extra locked in.”

Schlittler declined to reveal specifics – “I’m not going to get into it,” he said – but he did say it came from fans, not players.

“There’s a line I think they crossed a little bit,” Schlittler said. “I’m a competitor. I’m going to go out there and make sure I shut them down. You know Boston fans. It’s just how it is. We’re aggressive back home and we’re gonna try and get under peoples’ skin. They just picked the wrong guy to do it to – and the wrong team to do it to as well.”

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Schlittler’s brilliance vaulted the Yankees into an AL Division Series against the Blue Jays that begins Saturday at Rogers Centre, his effort as large a reason as any that the defending pennant-winners will board a plane headed north of the border.

“We needed to be perfect tonight, because he was perfect,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “The stuff is outstanding. He was under control. That was electric.”

Schlittler is the first pitcher in postseason history to fire at least eight scoreless innings with at least 12 strikeouts without permitting a walk.

He also set a new franchise record for strikeouts by a Yankee in his postseason debut, outdoing 10-K performances by Red Ruffing (1932 World Series Game 1 vs. Cubs) and Dave Righetti (1981 ALDS Game 2 at Brewers).

“You feel dominant out there,” Schlittler said. “I didn’t really know how many strikeouts I was at, but it’s a good feeling, being able to put those guys away.”

Though it appeared Schlittler might be done after a warm ovation followed him off the mound in the seventh, manager Aaron Boone sent him back out for the eighth.

“I didn’t even want to talk to him much,” Boone said. “I kind of stood on the steps and just gave him my, ‘Are you good?’ And he was.”

Schlittler rewarded him with three more outs, including Ryan McMahon’s daring grab that sent him hurtling into the visiting dugout.

The 24-year-old Schlittler didn’t make his Major League debut until July 9, but he appeared built for the October stage, outpitching Boston left-hander Connelly Early in a Gen Z matchup of rivalry rookies.

Routinely cracking triple digits with his fastball while using his secondary pitches effectively, Schlittler simply overpowered the Red Sox, permitting five singles over a 107-pitch effort.

Boston only moved one runner into scoring position all night; Nathaniel Lowe touched second base in the fifth inning, then was stranded there.

“Knowing the situation, I was just trying to embrace the fans and stay within myself,” Schlittler said. “I was able to get more confident after each inning.”

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It was the brand of performance the Yankees expected from Schlittler, who pitched to a 2.96 ERA across 73 innings after his midseason promotion.

As the Yanks celebrated their Game 2 victory late Wednesday, most of the clubhouse was still buzzing about Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s decisive eighth-inning dash, but Carlos Rodón was already thinking ahead to what Game 3 would mean for Schlittler’s young career.

“It's going to be really good for him,” Rodón said. “He needs to experience this.”

They certainly enjoyed the show, a coming-out party on a national stage.

Breaking down Schlittler’s performance behind fogged goggles in the Yankees’ clubhouse celebration, injured ace Gerrit Cole gushed about Schlittler’s “easy gas,” painting the rookie as a figure the Yankees will be able to count on – not just in the next round against Toronto, but potentially for years to come.

“It’s super impressive,” Cole said. “There are different paths to greatness up here, but this guy has come up and delivered right away. He’s got it. I don’t know exactly what it is, it’s hard to define it. But he’s got it. … He’s got an idea of what he wants to do.”