ARIZONA – Cam Schlittler has been described as “a healthy combination between mature and immature.” Between starts, he’s the kid on the Yankees’ bench flicking sunflower seeds at anyone within reach, frequently landing on the receiving end of ribbing from his veteran teammates.
“The guys like to get on him a lot,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He wears it well. He’s fun to be around.”
On the mound, though, Schlittler remains all business. The American League Cy Young Award frontrunner continued to burnish his case on Saturday, though the D-backs made him grind in a six-inning outing at Chase Field. Pavin Smith then hit a pinch-hit walk-off homer in the ninth off Michael Fulmer, handing the Yankees a 5-3 loss at Chase Field.
Schlittler breezed through the lineup early, holding Arizona hitless until Nolan Arenado’s fifth-inning single. Schlittler committed a throwing error that set up Jordan Lawlar’s two-run triple, though because of the miscue, both runs were unearned.
Heliot Ramos and Austin Wells homered in the sixth, staking Schlittler to a one-run lead, but an uncharacteristic loss of command allowed the D-backs to tie the score. Schlittler threw eight consecutive pitches out of the zone, then saw Geraldo Perdomo load the bases with a bunt single.
Corbin Carroll lifted a sac fly off Schlittler, who struck out the next two batters to wrap his outing. Schlittler finished the evening with a 1.94 ERA, allowing three runs (one earned) and three hits over six innings, walking three and striking out six.
Schlittler is looking to become just the third Yankees starter in the Live Ball Era (since 1920) to finish a season with an ERA below 2.00 (Ron Guidry in 1978, Spud Chandler in 1943).
Schlittler has allowed one earned run or none in 24 starts this season, joining Hall of Famers Sandy Koufax (25 in 1963, 24 in 1966) and Bob Gibson (24 in 1968) as the only pitchers in the Live Ball Era with at least 24 starts of one earned run or none in a season (excluding openers).