Cam Schlittler put an end to a regular season that already has a special place in the history of the New York Yankees.
The right-hander made a short three-innings against the Tampa Bay Rays at Yankee Stadium, but was enough to complete an extraordinary campaign in which he finished with a 1.95 and 239 strikeout.
Beyond what happened in their last opening, the numbers accumulated throughout the year place Schlittler among the most dominant pitchers who have dressed the Yankees uniform and strengthen their candidacy for the Cy Young award of the American League.
Schlittler finishes with the third best effectiveness in Yankees history
The 1.95 ERA with which Schlittler closed the season represents the third lowest recorded by a Yankees pitcher in a full campaign.
Only Spud Chandler, who finished with 1.64 in 1943, and Ron Guidry, with 1.74 in his historic 1978 season, got better records within the organization.
The data places Schlittler on a particularly short list and reflects the consistency it kept for practically the entire calendar.
His 1.95 ERA was also the lowest recorded by an American League pitcher since Justin Verlander finished with 1.75 for Houston in 2022.
239 strikeouts complete an elite season
Schlittler's dominance was not limited to just avoiding races. The right-hander finished the regular season with 239 strikeouts, another figure that places him among the best records in the history of the franchise.
His 239 strikeouts matched Jack Chesbro, who reached that same amount in 1904, as the fourth highest figure for a Yankees pitcher in a single season.
Only Gerrit Cole, with 257 strikeouts in 2022 and 243 in 2021, in addition to Ron Guidry with 248 in 1978, have finished a campaign with a higher amount wearing the New York uniform.
Schlittler got those numbers in his first full season in the Major Leagues, confirming the jump that he began to show since his arrival at the team during 2025.
A dominant closure strengthened his candidacy for Cy Young
The final part of the season ended up being especially important for Schlittler.
In his last nine starts he registered a 1.17 ERA over 54 innings. During that period he allowed only 27 hits, awarded 18 walks and struck out 68 batters.
That closure allowed him to break up into the conversation for the American League Cy Young and end the calendar with one of the most complete curricula among the starters of the circuit.
If he finally receives the award, Schlittler would become the seventh Yankees pitcher to win a Cy Young and the organization's first since Gerrit Cole in 2023.
The Yankees limited their work thinking in October
In their last regular season start, the Yankees did not seek to extend too much to Schlittler.
The right-hander worked three innings against Tampa Bay, allowed three hits and two runs, one of them clean, awarded two walks and struck out five batters.
He made 70 shots before leaving the match, a controlled load with his eyes set directly on the Wild Card series.
The decision allowed New York to protect one of its most important arms before the start of the postseason, especially after the enormous amount of work accumulated throughout the campaign.
Game 1 or Game 2 of the Wild Card?
The next question is no longer related to the regular season, but to October.
Schlittler will have a start during the Wild Card series, but the Yankees still evaluate which match to use.
Although for weeks it seemed natural to think of the right for Game 1, New York also considers using Max Fried to open the series and reserve Schlittler for the second match.
The decision will allow the coaching staff to organize the breaks and look for the combination that they consider most convenient in a short series where each opening will have enormous importance.
A season that is already part of the history of the Yankees
Schlittler came to 2026 with high expectations after showing his potential during his rookie season, but ended up overtaking even that scenario.
Its ability to limit racing, generate strikeouts and maintain stability throughout the year made the right-hander one of the centerpieces of the New York rotation.
Now the challenge changes. The regular season numbers are already complete and the next opening will come on a different stage, with the Yankees season in play.
Schlittler finished 2026 with an effectiveness that only two pitchers have surpassed in the history of the franchise and with a strikeout number that also places him among the team's historical names.
The regular season is over. October is now coming, and the Yankees hope that Schlittler's story still has chapters to write about.