About The All-Star Break: Taking A Request

About The All-Star Break: Taking A Request

By Tim Kabel

July 17, 2025

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I was prepared to write a “Meanderings of My Mind” piece until I read the comments attached to my article about my home run predictions. Alan B. requested that I make a prediction regarding Cam Schlittler and the number of starts he will make in the second half of the season. To me, Alan B. Is really Alan B Plus. Therefore, I will happily oblige. I will save the “Meanderings of My Mind” article for tomorrow.

The issue of how many starts Cam Schlittler will make in the second half of the season is more complicated than one might think. There are several questions that must be answered before I can make a reasonable prediction. Will Cam Schlittler be on the Yankees for the entire second half of the season? Will he be in the Major Leagues for the entire second half of the season? Will he be in the starting rotation or the bullpen? I will wrestle with those questions first before stating how many games I think he will start for the remainder of the season.

First, will Cam Schlittler be on the Yankees for the entire second half of the season? We all know the Yankees are rumored to be in the mix on trades for virtually everyone in the Major Leagues. Their targets seem to be a third baseman, at least one relief pitcher, and possibly a starting pitcher. Obviously, Schlittler will be in demand regardless of the target in question. If it were up to me, I would be very reluctant to trade him. It would take someone really special to make me change my mind. I realize that Schlittler has only pitched one game in the Major Leagues. However, he is highly regarded. He is 24 years old. He can throw 100 miles an hour. He appears to have a good attitude and to be coachable. I would definitely not trade him for a player who is about to be a free agent.

Remember a few years ago when the Yankees acquired Anthony Benintendi before the trading deadline? He became injured and missed the playoffs. And then, he became a free agent and went elsewhere. We have no idea what kind of career Cam Schlittler will have, but he certainly looks very promising. The Yankees are constantly looking for pitching. This year they have lost Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt for the entire season. Schmidt may not pitch for the Yankees next year either. Luis Gil has not yet pitched in a game on the Major League level this year. Trading away a young pitcher with the kind of arm that Schlittler has is not something I would be willing to do.

 So, if we accept the premise that Schlittler will not be traded by the Yankees this season, what will they do with him? Now that he has had a taste of the Major Leagues, I would not send him back to Scranton unless he struggles mightily over his next few starts. I'm sure he will have an adjustment period. That is to be expected, but if he is solid and shows signs of growth and improvement, I would definitely not send him down.

When Luis Gil returns to the rotation, someone else will have to go. Obviously, that will not be Max Fried or Carlos Rodon. That then eaves Will Warren or Marcus Stroman. Stroman has been solid in his three starts since returning from the IL but, not spectacular. I don't think Stroman has ever been spectacular. He has had his moments in his career, but he is a back of the rotation pitcher and nothing more. Remember, the Yankees were prepared to use anyone rather than Stroman in the playoffs last year. He was sent into the witness protection program and the Yankees were trying to find anyone to take him in the off-season. He only remained on the team due to the number of injuries to the pitching staff. Although Stroman has been solid for those three starts, there is no indication based on his career and in particular, his Yankees’ career, to think that that will continue. I would suspect that if there is any way for the Yankees to trade Stroman when Luis Gil returns, they will do so. 

Schlittler's performance in the rotation moving forward will undoubtedly determine what his role will be. Schlittler has a future. Hopefully, it is with the Yankees.  Marcus Stroman does not have much of a future either as a Yankee, or as a Major League pitcher. If Schlittler can hold his own over his next couple of starts, I would keep him in the rotation when Gil returns. I think the likelihood of getting a solid start from Schlitter is greater than it is with Stroman. Look at the way Will Warren has developed. He still has a clunker here and there, but he is developing into a solid Major League pitcher. The same hopefully happens with Schlittler.

Back to the issue of trading Schlittler. If it becomes an issue of trading him for another starting pitcher, a lot would depend on which pitcher we are talking about. If it is a veteran who is putting up less than spectacular numbers and is on an expiring contract, I would be reluctant to make that move. Very often, fans or the media or even teams and their executives suggest making moves just for the sake of making moves. The Yankees need to avoid that. Would you rather see Zac Gallen come here for two months and pitch reasonably well for a team that falls short of winning the World Series, or see Cam Schlittler pitch in the Bronx for the next 10 or 15 years and become a dominant starter? There are no givens when it comes to that, but acquiring a rental player does have its risks, especially if you are trading one of your top young pitchers.

We have now established that I would not trade Schlittler and I would not pull him out of the starting rotation when Luis Gil returns unless he turns in consecutive dreadful outings. If that were to happen, I would send him back to the minors to retool and develop. If he pitches well, I would leave him in the rotation when Gil returns. Stroman would need to be either traded or put in the bullpen. If the Yankees acquire a starting pitcher without having to trade Schlittler or somebody else in their rotation, that might change things.

Let's assume that Schlittler will be part of the rotation for the rest of the season. The Yankees have 66 games left this season. Assuming that Schlittler pitches every fifth day, that works out to about 13 starts. I'm not sure when he will make his first start after the All-Star break. I'm sure that has a lot to do with Max Fried's blister. The rambling answer that Aaron Boone gave regarding that issue provided absolutely no clarity, as usual. So, let's say that Schlittler makes a dozen starts. His record right now is 1-0. I predict he will end the season with at least six wins. If the Yankees do make the playoffs, he may be shifted to the bullpen. However, I think it is also possible that Luis Gil could go to the bullpen, particularly if he is not built up sufficiently to start throughout the playoffs.

There you have my prediction regarding Cam Schlittler. I hope Alan B. does not give me a B minus when he reads it.