One of the best postseason debuts in MLB history was personal for Cam Schlittler.<\/p>\n
Speaking a day after striking out 12 in eight scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox<\/a>, the New York Yankees rookie detailed part of his motivation going into a winner-take-all version of the storied rivalry.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n Per The Athletic<\/a> and the Associated Press<\/a>, Schlittler said a group of Red Sox fans harassed his family members, including his mother, on social media, which he said “100 percent” helped him while pitching. He and his family, of course, got the last laugh:<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re just trying to get under your skin but I thought they crossed the line a little bit,\u201d Schlittler said Friday. \u201cAt the end of the day, there\u2019s not much they can say now.\u201d<\/p>\n Schlittler had previously alluded to some “personal” motivation on Thursday night.<\/p>\n There’s some backstory here. Schlittler was born in Walpole, Massachusetts within 20 miles of downtown Boston, went to college at nearby Northeastern and still lives in the area during the offseason. He and his family were naturally Red Sox fans, until the Yankees selected him in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft.<\/p>\n So several of those trolls hit home for the 24-year-old. His friends are also Red Sox fans, though they were apparently supportive of him despite the cost for their team, via the AP:<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re happy for me,\u201d he said. \u201cI think they\u2019re bummed out, obviously. They\u2019re all Red Sox fans. I told them that\u2019s exactly what was going to happen. They\u2019ll get over it. Hockey season is coming up, basketball season is coming up. I\u2019m sure they\u2019ve got other things to distract them.\u201d<\/p>\n Schlittler also decided to return fire on Friday, replying to a few accounts to rub in the best start of his professional career:<\/p>\n This likely won’t be Schlittler’s last run-in with the Red Sox, but he and the Yankees obviously have a more pressing concern with the ALDS against the Toronto Blue Jays. Schlittler is on track to get the start in Game 4 if necessary, which would be a repeat performance at Yankee Stadium.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n