Monday night’s outing for Cam Schlittler was his third audition to prove to the Yankees that he deserves a spot in the rotation.
It did not go as planned for the 24-year-old rookie.
Schlittler allowed three earned runs on seven hits with five strikeouts and four walks in 4 ¹/₃ innings in the 4-2 loss to the Rays.
He got off to a rough start, giving up a two-run home run to Junior Caminero and three walks in the first inning.
Schlittler settled down and was able to lean back on his biggest strength, his command in the strike zone with his fastball, which has averaged near 98 mph.
“One of his calling cards is his ability to fill up the strike zone,” manager Aaron Boone said. “The fastball is big and real.”
Schlittler heavily relies on that fastball, throwing it 52 percent of the time in his young career.
However, it is his supporting pitches — primarily a slider and curveball — where Boone thinks there is room for improvement.
“Again, it’s fine-tuning the secondary [pitches],” Boone said. “That’s what has been a work in progress for him. I feel like in these first few games, he’s done a decent job with it, actually.
The only question is if Yankee fans will be able to watch him fine-tune those pitches in pinstripes as his name has been mentioned as a possible trade chip.
While Schlittler has not been overmatched — pitching to a 4.91 ERA in 14 ²/₃ innings with 18 strikeouts — his spot in the rotation is perilous, with Luis Gil and Ryan Yarbrough poised to return.
And the Yankees may still bolster their rotation beyond Max Fried and Carlos Rodón.
Schlittler could be squeezed out of a spot if he isn’t sent back to the minors.
Asked about the biggest difference between pitching in the majors and in the minors, Schlittler said, “I think that hitters make quick adjustments, the [strike] zone is a bit smaller. They’re going to make you pay if you’re not in the zone, as you can tell in the first inning. ”