NEW YORK -- The American League’s Cy Young Award race would still run for more than three months, but at least one observer had already seen enough to make a call.
“Schlitty is the Cy Young winner, hands down,” the Knicks’ Josh Hart said in a June 19 social media post, shortly after the Yankees’ Cam Schlittler dominated the Reds with a 13-strikeout performance at Yankee Stadium.
Hart, whose Knicks delivered the franchise’s first NBA title in 53 years, knows a thing or two about championships. We’ll soon find out if his expertise extends to the Baseball Writers’ Association of America voting.
“Josh is a great guy,” Schlittler said. “I met him in the playoffs when they were on their way to a championship, and he came to the stadium after they won. I wish those guys the best. Hopefully they can do it again next year.”
And by then, Schlittler might have some hardware of his own to showcase.
Schlittler was named Monday as one of the BBWAA’s finalists for the AL Cy Young Award, along with Dylan Cease of the Blue Jays and Parker Messick of the Guardians. The winner will be announced Nov. 11 on MLB Network.
In his first full Major League season, Schlittler went 14-6 with an AL-best 1.95 ERA, pacing the AL in pitching WAR (6.2, per FanGraphs) and opponent on-base percentage (.244).
Schlittler’s ERA was the third lowest in franchise history by a qualified pitcher, trailing only Spud Chandler (1.64 in 1943) and Ron Guidry (1.74 in 1978).
“He’s going to win the Cy Young,” manager Aaron Boone said. “I think he’s just continued to get better year in and year out. This is largely in line with who we saw down the stretch when he got called up last year.”
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 single season.
He permitted one run or fewer in a Major League-best 21 starts, and allowed three runs or fewer in 29 starts, tied for the most in the Majors. Since his debut in July 2025, Schlittler has led all Major League starters in ERA.
“There’s been a lot going on the last year,” Schlittler said. “I started the [2025] season in Double-A after I got my first little taste of Spring Training. They gave me an opportunity, and I just kind of ran with it.”
Feeding off hostile environments, Schlittler was especially dominant on the road, going 8-2 with a 1.16 ERA in 17 starts. He led all qualified Major Leaguers in road ERA, strikeouts (129), opponent batting average (.153), opponent 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.
“I think sometimes you just naturally lock in a little bit more,” Schlittler said. “The goal is to find a way to treat every game the same.”
Now, with a possible Cy Young Award on the horizon, the real question ahead is this -- what will Schlittler do for an encore?
“He’s been the best pitcher in the league,” Boone said. “When you have that going all year at the top of your rotation, that’s massive. And that’s what he’s been.”