NEW YORK -- Cam Schlittler has spent most of his brief big league career dominating opponents, which is why a matchup against the Tigers’ Tarik Skubal should have been electric: this year’s American League’s Cy Young Award front-runner taking on an ace who has already brought home the hardware twice.
The anticipated duel didn’t materialize quite as the Yankees would have imagined. Schlittler permitted four home runs and six early runs -- both career highs -- leading to a fifth-inning exit from Tuesday night’s 9-3 loss to the Tigers at Yankee Stadium.
Schlittler served up three homers in a 36-pitch first inning, featuring blasts by Kerry Carpenter, Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson. Carpenter’s drive smacked the glove of center fielder Spencer Jones, who nearly made a leaping grab, but it popped out when Jones hit the wall and fell into the Yankees’ bullpen for a homer.
Had Jones made the catch, Schlittler would’ve pitched a scoreless nine-pitch first inning. Instead, Greene followed with a solo drive into the second deck in right field, and Torkelson later clipped Schlittler for a two-run homer to left field.
Greene added a two-run shot in the third inning off Schlittler, who came into Tuesday’s start with an 8-4 record and a 1.62 ERA. Schlittler relies heavily on his three-fastball mix (four-seam, cutter, sinker), but the Tigers came ready, forcing Schlittler to pivot more to his curveball.
Schlittler began the fifth inning but exited after surrendering a Dillon Dingler double, relieved by Ryan Yarbrough. The right-hander allowed seven hits, one walk and struck out five on 85 pitches (56 strikes). For the second consecutive start, Schlittler departed in line for a loss. He permitted four unearned runs to the Red Sox last Thursday at Fenway Park.