NEW YORK -- The Yankees had just edged the Phillies on a Friday evening in July, with Paul Goldschmidt belting a homer for the game’s only run. Savoring the victory, the veteran slugger allowed his thoughts to drift beyond those nine innings -- toward Cam Schlittler's potential hardware, and much more.
“He might win the Cy Young, and that’s great,” Goldschmidt said that night. “But I’m really excited to see how he progresses. When you’re at the highest level, you’re thinking about guys that are doing it for 10-plus years. I think Cam definitely has the mindset, the physical tools to do it.”
He has taken the first step. Schlittler was named the unanimous winner of the American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday evening, as announced on MLB Network. Schlittler joined Ron Guidry (1978) and Gerrit Cole (2023) as Yankees to win the Cy Young unanimously.
“I’ve always had a lot of confidence in myself, and that’s kind of how I’ve gotten to this point,” Schlittler said. “Realistically, when you come into your first full season, do you think you’re going to do that? Maybe not, but you also have the confidence that you can do that.”
Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays finished second and Parker Messick of the Guardians third behind Schlittler, the Yankees’ seventh Cy Young Award winner.
The club’s previous honorees are Bob Turley (1958), Whitey Ford (‘61), Sparky Lyle (‘77), Guidry (‘78), Roger Clemens (2001) and Cole (‘23).
In his first full Major League season, Schlittler went 14-6 with an AL-best 1.95 ERA, pacing the league in pitching WAR per FanGraphs (6.2) and opponents’ on-base percentage (.244).
Schlittler’s ERA was the third-lowest mark in franchise history by a qualified pitcher, trailing only Spud Chandler (1.64 in 1943) and Guidry (1.74 in ‘78).
Yet Schlittler still sees room for improvement.
“I definitely could have had a better season,” Schlittler said. “We had a few hiccups along the road, so realistically, I think there’s things I can get better at. I feel like the season was great, but as you look how it finished, things definitely could have been better.”
To anyone who spent time in the Yankees’ dugout this season, the selection seemed a foregone conclusion.
“Cam had as dominant a season as a starting pitcher can have from start to finish,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s shown an astonishing amount of growth since we drafted him, and his success is no accident.
“Cam has a tireless appetite for hard work and refinement that has allowed his talents to truly flourish. This Cy Young is richly deserved. Cam was the most dominant pitcher in our league and continues to grow into a foundational player for this franchise.”
Schlittler struck out 239 batters against 49 walks and 129 hits allowed in 193 2/3 innings. Those 239 K’s tied Jack Chesbro (1904) for the fourth most by a Yankees pitcher in a season.
Schlittler permitted one run or none in a Major League-best 21 starts, and he allowed three runs or fewer in 29 starts, tied for the most in the Majors. Since his debut in July 2025, the East Walpole, Mass., product has led all Major League starters in ERA (2.23).
Schlittler celebrated the announcement at home, flanked by his parents, John and Christine. He also posed for photos with his cat, Arya.
“I feel like it’s been a lot of months kind of wondering or having that pressure on me,” Schlittler said. “I feel like I handled those things well, but at the same time, it’s good to get to this moment and enjoy with my family.”
Feeding off hostile environments, Schlittler was especially dominant on the road, going 8-2 with a 1.16 ERA in 17 starts. He led Major Leaguers in road ERA, strikeouts (129), opponents’ batting average (.153), opponents’ OPS (.456) and WHIP (0.74).
“I’ve played with Cam since Double-A, so it’s not shocking to me what he’s doing now,” said rookie shortstop George Lombard Jr. “I’ve always seen the competitiveness and fire in him, and obviously the nasty stuff.”
Remember when Schlittler’s stellar performance to send the Red Sox home in the 2025 AL Wild Card Series was celebrated as the game of his life? As it turned out, that was just the opening act.
Boone called him the “best pitcher in the league,” and the voters agreed – all of them, just as they did in the National League, where the Brewers’ Jacob Misiorowski was also selected unanimously.
“The game is changing, and it’s going in the right directions,” Schlittler said. “I think both of us are able to utilize those tools and really help ourselves.”
Now, with a Cy Young Award on his mantle, the real question ahead is this: What will Schlittler do for an encore? Goldschmidt is among those who can’t wait to find out.
“Even when he has a rough one, the next game, he’s just the same guy and very competitive,” Goldschmidt said. “It’ll be really fun to watch his career.”