SEATTLE (AP) — It wasn't until Tuesday, or perhaps even as late as Wednesday's series finale against the Seattle Mariners that Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt realized just how good New York's rotation has been to start the year.
A day removed from Max Fried running his scoreless streak to 13 1/3 innings to begin the season, right-hander Cam Schlittler nearly matched the southpaw. Schlittler (2-0) yielded two hits in 6 1/3 innings and retired
his last 16 batters, extending his season-opening shutout streak to 11 2/3 innings in New York's 5-3 win.
None of the Yankees' starters have given up more than one run during a 5-1 start, and the rotation has a 0.53 ERA across 33 2/3 innings.
“Hopefully we can keep that going," said Goldschmidt, who hit a three-run homer Wednesday. "They’ve been doing a great job. Really pounding the zone. Obviously our guys have good stuff. Haven’t walked too many guys, it seems like.”
Like Fried, Schlittler was simply sensational against Seattle, and he retired Mariners hitters in a variety of ways. The 25-year-old right-hander who also blanked the Giants over 5 1/3 innings last Friday relied nearly entirely on his three types of fastballs: a four-seamer, a cutter and a sinker.
“Early on, it was the four-seam. Middle of the game, it was the two-seam. And then later on, it was the cutter," Schlittler said. "So again, felt pretty strong with the game plan I had, and just attacking guys with those three pitches.”
New York manager Aaron Boone marveled at Schlittler's ability to tunnel those three pitches off one another, and in turn keep opposing hitters guessing.
Schlittler impressed last year during his rookie season, too, going 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA in 14 starts. But he also struggled with walks at times in 2025 and yielded nearly four free passes per nine innings.
Through two starts this year, Schlittler has not walked anyone. He struck out seven and needed just 79 pitches, 58 of them strikes, to get through 6 1/3 innings Wednesday.
“His calling card since he got in the organization was his ability to throw strikes with his fastball," Boone said. "And now, as he’s gone to another level from a stuff standpoint, that’s really served him well.”
Schlittler is hardly alone in having an excellent repertoire on a staff that figures to only improve in the coming weeks and months, at least on paper. Luis Gil, the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year, is in line to join the rotation in mid-April.
Left-hander Carlos Rodón, who experienced right hamstring tightness on Tuesday while going through his throwing program, continues to make progress in his return from elbow surgery. Former Cy Young Award winner Gerrit Cole, who missed the 2025 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, remains sidelined, but could be back by late spring or early summer.
The group that's currently donning the pinstripes on the daily, though, isn't just getting the job done for a team with World Series aspirations.
“I think this staff’s dominant," Schlittler said. "The bullpen’s been great as well. So, I think the team as a whole, (we're) just feeding off each other and taking it into each game and each start and just keep rolling with it.”
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