In a win-or-go-home Wild Card round game in the American League playoffs Thursday night, former Northeastern University righthander Cam Schlittler dominated.
The 6-foot-6 flamethrower tossed eight shutout innings to lead the New York Yankees to 4-0 win over the Boston Red Sox, Schlittler’s favorite team as a kid growing up in the Boston area. Schlittler struck out 12, the most ever by a Yankees pitcher in a postseason debut.
Schlittler was also the first pitcher to throw eight innings, strike out 12, walk none and allow zero runs in Major League Baseball postseason history.
“It’s great, obviously you’re not chasing those things, but again, I’ll take it in tonight and then get back to work tomorrow,” Schlittler told ESPN after the game.
Schlittler gave up only five hits and consistently threw in the upper 90s, topping out at 100.8 mph under the bright lights of Yankee Stadium in New York City.
The win sends the Yankees to a Divisional Round matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays.
Cam Schlittler, selected in the seventh round by the Yankees, was Northeastern’s highest-drafted baseball player in years. Photo by Jim Pierce for Northeastern University
Schlittler is from Walpole, Massachusetts, less than 20 miles from Fenway Park, the home of the Red Sox, and Northeastern Huskies’ Parsons Field in Brookline.
“I got a good night’s sleep last night. I wasn’t too worried about it, but I woke up and I was locked in, so I knew exactly what I needed to do and go out there, especially against my hometown team,” Schlittler said at a post-game press conference.
In 2022, when Schlittler was drafted by the Yankees, he told Northeastern Global News that as a lifelong Red Sox fan he was looking forward to pitching for the nemesis Yankees. “I’m definitely going to try and beat them,” Schlittler said three years. “If I ever get to that point, if I’m lucky enough that I can, that would be a dream opportunity.”
His dream came true at Yankee Stadium in a legendary performance.
The rookie pitcher made his Major League debut on July 8, grabbing a win as he struck out 7 and walked 2 in 5-1/3 innings against the Seattle Mariners.
Schlittler had four wins and three losses during the regular season, finishing with a 2.96 ERA. He struck out 83 and walked 31 while giving up 58 hits.
Mike Glavine, longtime Northeastern University baseball coach, said when Schlittler made his debut that he had reached the Major Leagues “through years of grit, consistency and dedication.”
At Northeastern, Schlittler went 14-9 with a 2.62 ERA and 180 strikeouts across 182 innings in 31 appearances, 30 of them starts. He credits the university with shaping him both on and off the field.
“I love the people, I love the environment,” he told NGN in 2022. “Being able to compete at a high level and still be able to have the academic side of it was why I chose Northeastern and I’m happy I did.
“The experience I had there over the last three years is awesome. I’m really excited about the opportunity they gave me and everything they provided for me, and I’m just glad that I was able to take advantage of it.”
Mark Conti is managing editor of Northeastern Global News. Follow him on X/Twitter @markconti11.