A few weeks removed from the Yankees’ four-game ALDS loss to the Blue Jays, Cam Schlittler still found himself in the city that had come to embrace him over the previous three months.
The Walpole, Massachusetts native – who dominated his hometown Red Sox in Game 3 of the Wild Card Series before adding an adequate outing in the Bombers’ final game of the season — spent that time working out at Yankee Stadium, taking in New York City’s sights and sounds, and treating his parents, John and Christine, to an anniversary weekend in SoHo. The trio even enjoyed a taping of Saturday Night Live and a backstage meet and greet with Lorne Michaels.
“He’s a big Yankees fan, so he treated me and my family really well,” Schlittler recently told the Daily News.
The 24-year-old, fresh off a rookie campaign that saw him post a 2.96 ERA over 14 starts while establishing himself as a fixture in the Yankees’ rotation, has since returned to the Boston area. He’s a bit of a villain in those parts now, as he totaled 12 strikeouts over eight scoreless innings against the rival Sox in that decisive Wild Card game before talking a ton of trash, his response to some Massholes going after him and his family on social media prior to the “personal” performance.
Schlittler kept the war of words going for a bit after that Oct. 3 game, doing some trolling of his own on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Prompted by a fan waiting on an autograph, he was also filmed saying “F–k Boston” after attending a Knicks game with Aaron Judge and Devin Williams on Oct. 22.
“I respect Boston. I know I’ve said certain things,” Schlittler said. “I think when I say that, it’s more directed at the people who were coming at my family and were all over me before that start, trying to cancel me, whatever it was.
“I’ve never said anything bad about that team or those players or other Boston sports teams. So for me, it really has nothing to do with the actual city.”
It appears the Bruins got in on the joke. A man of his word. https://t.co/8VGmxnkcsi pic.twitter.com/jIU3g5AW3i
— Chris Cotillo (@ChrisCotillo) November 30, 2025
Schlittler said that Bostonians have been much kinder in person. He made it back home in time for Halloween, which fell on a Friday and gave him and his buddies a good excuse for some nights out. Several intoxicated Red Sox fans approached Schlittler, but much to his surprise, no one bothered him, a stark contrast from those “running their mouths” online.
“It’s good to be able to come home and still feel comfortable around the city that you grew up in,” Schlittler said.
The right-hander, meanwhile, is on a self-imposed hiatus from tweeting. After expressing his appreciation for Boston and New York City in a lengthy post earlier this month, he added that he is going dark until Feb. 11, right around the time pitchers and catchers are expected at spring training.
“If I’m going to talk, I’m gonna make sure I back it up, and that’s not something I can really do in the offseason,” Schlittler said. “Once the season comes back around and I’m able to back that stuff up, if I need to talk, then I’ll talk.”
In the meantime, the self-assured Schlitter is working to ensure that his bite on the mound continues to match his bark off of it.
He has been living with two of his Northeastern teammates, Yankees farmhand Thomas Balboni Jr. and Padres prospect Eric Yost, and training at their alma mater. Throwing began a few weeks ago, and Schlittler, who primarily relied on his 98-mph four-seam fastball (55% usage), cutter (21%) and curveball (15%) last season, plans to incorporate a changeup or a splitter this winter.
Schlittler, who also has a sinker and slider, said he was still deciding on which pitch to develop. However, Yankees pitching coach Matt Blake told The News that the changeup is more likely after Schlittler struggled with the pronation of his wrist while tinkering with a splitter last spring.
Schlittler scrapped the pitch in favor of the cutter, which came more naturally to him, after the minor league season began. With the Yankees’ rotation depth whittling away and Schlittler, an unheralded prospect before bursting onto the scene last season, trying to climb the minor league ranks, he didn’t feel he could keep experimenting with a pitch he wasn’t quite comfortable with.
“We’re trying to get him something that he can get below the barrel but can command,” Blake said, adding that he wants Schlittler to refine what he already has, though a changeup would help him against lefties. “How do you avoid the foul ball war? How do you get some weak contact at times?”
Schlittler also said that he feels good physically after throwing 149.2 innings in 2025, his single-season high as a pro, and that he’s put on a few pounds. He felt he was at his best when he was around 215 pounds last season, so he wants to report to spring training at 223 pounds, as he anticipates shedding a few as he ramps up under the Florida sun.
With no vacations planned, Schlittler said his next scheduled stop is the Yankees’ player development complex in Tampa. He will head there the first week of January, approximately a month before his attendance is required across the street at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
From there, Schlittler will look to prove that his success this past year was just the beginning. The Yankees are banking on that, as fellow starters Gerrit Cole, Carlos Rodón and Clarke Schmidt will all begin the 2026 season on the injured list.
“I was happy with how my three months went in my rookie season, but it could have been a lot better,” Schlittler said. “So there’s some things I need to clean up, and there was a lot of talk in the media during that playoff run, but I’m eager to go out there and back it up.
“I’m eager to go out there and show everyone that I can do that again, and I can hopefully continue to do that for the next 10 years.”