Cam Schlittler has been nearly unbeatable on the road this season. At Yankee Stadium, it’s been a different story entirely, and Monday’s outing added another uncomfortable data point to that trend.
The right-hander lasted just three innings against the St. Louis Cardinals, allowing four earned runs in the second-shortest start of his career. His control, typically one of his strongest attributes, abandoned him as he walked a season-high five batters.
Schlittler Owns the Rough Outing
GettyCam Schlittler of the New York Yankees.
Schlittler didn’t look for excuses after the game, addressing the control issues directly.
“I take pride in having control and limiting those walks,” Schlittler said.
He walked leadoff hitter JJ Wetherholt before allowing a two-run homer to Alec Burleson. Jose Fermin added an RBI double and Nathan Church followed with an RBI single, compounding a difficult night that never found rhythm.
“I’ve just got to be better,” Schlittler said.
A Troubling Home-Road Split for the Yankees
The numbers behind Monday’s outing point to a real pattern. Overall, Schlittler now sits at 8-2 with a 1.10 ERA on the road, a dominant mark by any measure. By contrast, he’s just 2-4 with a 4.32 ERA across 10 starts at home in the Bronx.
Schlittler acknowledged the frustration of consistently struggling in front of Yankees fans specifically.
“The bad ones I have are always here, and that’s frustrating,” Schlittler said.
Manager Aaron Boone offered his own read on what went wrong, pointing to a lack of competitive pitches throughout the outing.
“He just never got into a good rhythm,” Boone said.
Roster Moves Surround the Yankees’ Loss
GettyHeliot Ramos joins the New York Yankees following a trade from the San Francisco Giants.
New York made multiple roster adjustments around Monday’s game. Jasson Dominguez was optioned to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre following the loss. That move made room for newly acquired Heliot Ramos. Top prospect George Lombard is set to join the organization. Spencer Jones was kept on the major league roster instead. He’s outproduced Dominguez recently while also offering more defensive flexibility in center field.
Dominguez has struggled both offensively and defensively this season. As a result, he’s been limited largely to corner outfield spots, even when given extended opportunities following Aaron Judge‘s injury.
Pitching Depth Continues to Progress
Carlos Rodon and Clarke Schmidt both continued moving closer to rejoining the pitching staff. Meanwhile, Rodon threw two innings of live batting practice Monday and reported the session went well, with a minor league rehab appearance possible as soon as Saturday. Additionally, general manager Brian Cashman indicated Rodon could return sometime this month.
Similarly, Schmidt, working back from Tommy John surgery, was scheduled to throw three innings of live batting practice Tuesday. As a result, the Yankees are focused on building him up for a bullpen role rather than a return to starting.
“He’s close to being in the mix,” Boone said.
Cashman also addressed the status of rookie Carlos Lagrange, calling it possible but unlikely that his shoulder injury would heal in time to contribute this season. To create a roster spot for Luis Garcia, Max Schuemann was optioned to Triple-A.
Final Word for the Yankees
Cam Schlittler’s home struggles remain an unresolved puzzle for a Yankees team counting on him as a top rotation piece. Still, he isn’t hiding from the issue, and neither is his manager.
Ultimately, New York gets him back on the mound Sunday, and whatever adjustment needs to happen, that start feels like the real test.
Home isn’t working yet. Not for Schlittler, at least not right now.
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