In baseball, legends are born in October.
The first to burst onto the scene in 2025 was New York Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler. He made MLB history on October 2 when he became the first pitcher ever to throw eight shutout innings with at least 12 strikeouts and no walks in a 4-0 New York win over their archrival, the Boston Red Sox.
The win sent the Yankees to the American League Division Series and marked the 27-time World Champions’ first series win over the Red Sox in the playoffs since 2003, when Schlittler was just 2 years old.
His name lends itself well to puns and witty comments — just see the New York Post the next day, with the words “Holy Schlitt” splashed across the front page. But there’s more to the rookie than an electric fastball and a name that has already caused broadcasters to stumble.
Keep scrolling for everything to know about Cam Schlittler, the Yankees’ latest postseason hero.
Cam Schlittler Has Quietly Dominated Since August
While the broader baseball world got to know Schlittler during his dominant performance against the Red Sox, Yankees fans have been aware that he is a star in the making.
He made his Major League debut in July 2025, replacing injured pitcher Clarke Schmidt. Though his first three starts didn’t go great, he soon found his stride. From the start of August to the end of the regular season, he pitched to a 2.42 ERA, earning manager Aaron Boone’s trust and a start in a winner-take-all Game 3 against Boston.
He Was Born a Red Sox Fan
Schlittler wears pinstripes today, but Red Sox fandom is in his blood as a native of Walpole, Massachusetts.
Schlittler said he was on-hand at just 3 years old for the Red Sox’s 2004 World Series parade after they famously came back to beat the Yankees in the American League Championship Series to break their 86-year championship drought.
His favorite players growing up were notorious Yankee killer David Ortiz and the gritty, two-time World Series champion Dustin Pedroia. When he got older, it was Red Sox ace Chris Sale.
As any Red Sox fan will attest, one does not easily switch allegiances, but Schlittler told Mass Live in October he was able to convert his family to the so-called Evil Empire.
“I take pride in being from Boston. [But] when it came to my career and where I want to be, this is where I want to be,” he said before his playoff debut. “They are full Yankee guys now. They don’t wear it around as much in Boston, just because. When they are here, they are very prideful about it.”
He Is the Son of a Massachusetts Police Chief
Schlittler has New England roots as the son of John Schlittler, Chief of Police in Needham, Massachusetts.
The Needham Police Department has supported Cam, despite his new loyalties, wishing him luck via Facebook before his first MLB game. Then, before Cam took the mound to eliminate the Red Sox, the department added a hilarious message that showed the conflicted emotions of just about everyone in Cam’s inner circle.
“So now we’re stuck between ‘Go Sox!’ and ‘Go… wait, did we just say [I can’t] out loud?’ Please don’t revoke our Massachusetts residency, and please don’t tell Wally,” the department wrote before Game 3, referring to the Red Sox’ mascot. “We’ll be cheering for strikeouts, home runs, and somehow, a Sox win and a perfect game at the same time.”
He Is a Master Troll
Though he was all business on the mound, Cam let loose when the game ended, taking in the beer and champagne showers during the Yankees’ clubhouse celebration, then heading to X where he trolled Red Sox fan and gambling influencer Lucy Burdge, who predicted “Sox in 3” before the game.
“Not this year,” Cam replied.
Just minutes earlier, he took a shot at all of Red Sox Nation, posting, “Drinking dat dirty water,” a nod to the song “Dirty Water,” which plays after Red Sox wins at Fenway Park.
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Cam Is an Unapologetic Cat Person
Cam keeps a lot of his personal life private — he acknowledged having a girlfriend, who was in attendance for his Major League debut, but has never revealed her name. He has, however, gushed about the other girl in his life, his cat, Arya.
“She was a stray so I picked her up off the street, she’s gray with blue eyes,” Cam told reporters in September. “Very elegant fur as well, she’s beautiful.”
Cam added that Arya, who he found near the Yankees’ Spring Training home in Tampa, Florida, is staying with his parents until the season is over.