New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler is an absolute force on the mound, a leading candidate for the American League Cy Young Award this season, but it turns out his scorching performance isn't just natural talent. There is a wild secret weapon in play. According to Chris Kirschner of The Athletic, Yankees director of organizational performance Chad Bohling shows Schlittler videos before every single start. And get this: sometimes those clips are pure, unadulterated criticism of the 25-year-old flamethrower. Talk about throwing fuel on the fire!
The Spark That Ignites the Ace
The proof is in the results, man. Kirschner gave us a perfect example: Bohling pulled up a clip of Jared Carrabis from the Baseball Is Dead podcast, and Carrabis was not holding back, saying, "The regression is happening before our very eyes," after Schlittler had a rough outing in a loss to the Detroit Tigers. Bohling hit play on that clip right before Schlittler's July 6 road start against the AL East-leading Tampa Bay Rays. What happened next? Schlittler went out there and absolutely shoved, allowing only four hits and one earned run, striking out eight batters over eight dominant innings. The Yankees snagged a 5-1 win, and Schlittler admitted to Kirschner, "It definitely pissed me off. It was pretty easy to go out there and perform just based on the last outing, how we've been playing, and then the cherry on top there." You gotta love that fire!A History of Clapping Back
This isn't some new thing for Schlittler either; the guy's always been about backing up his talk. Last season, he exploded onto the scene as a rookie, rocking a 2.96 ERA in 14 regular-season starts. But his most iconic moment came in the AL Wild Card Round when he shut down the rival Boston Red Sox. He gave up five hits, no runs, and racked up an insane 12 strikeouts over eight innings in New York's elimination win. Born in Weymouth, Massachusetts, Schlittler grew up deep in Red Sox country, so you know becoming the enemy to those fans just fueled him even more. He got a ton of social media vitriol after that game, and he was not shy about clapping back. He’s tried to cool it this year, but Schlittler told Kirschner he feels he has earned the right to talk some trash. "This year, I feel like I've done a pretty good job of ignoring people online, but I've also been able to back it up, too. If I want to say something, I can, because I've backed it up," he said. You can't argue with that kind of confidence.Cy Young Numbers, Powered by Spite?
His performance in his first full MLB season has been nothing short of dominant. Schlittler has been an All-Star force in 2026, putting up a 9-5 record with a ridiculous 2.05 ERA, a sparkling 0.94 WHIP, and 137 strikeouts over 118.2 innings pitched. These aren't just good numbers; he's leading the AL in pitcher WAR, ERA, and WHIP. He's also second in strikeouts and tied for third in wins. Look, whether it's outside criticism or pure grit, the dude is absolutely making a case for the Cy Young Award. The man is on a mission, and it's undeniable he's the one to beat. With the All-Star break on the horizon for July 16, 2026, Schlittler is locked in and showing no signs of slowing down. He is absolutely the man to watch as the season unfolds, fighting for that coveted Cy Young award. What else can you say but this guy is must-watch baseball every time he takes the mound?This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.