In the end, the Yankees chose not to overthink it: they are giving the ball to their likely Cy Young winner.
Cam Schlittler will start Game 1 of the AL wild-card series against the Red Sox on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium, the club announced Sunday, going with their dominant right-hander against his hometown team.
Max Fried will start Game 2 and Gerrit Cole is lined up for Game 3.
Schlittler, who finished the regular season with a 1.95 ERA, will be on his regular fifth day Tuesday. The Yankees debated giving him an extra day of rest, with the long season (and they hope a long October) in mind, but instead opted to pitch their best arm right out of the game.
Last year, Schlittler pitched the clinching Game 3 of the AL wild-card series against the Red Sox and then continued to shove against them this season, posting a 0.74 ERA in four starts.
During the regular season – when he racked up a career-high 193 2/3 innings – Schlittler pitched to a 2.21 ERA in 15 starts on four days’ rest and a 1.42 ERA in 14 starts on five days’ rest.
Schlittler and Max Fried both threw bullpen sessions on a rainy Sunday afternoon at Yankee Stadium, keeping them both in play to pitch Tuesday, before announcing their decision.
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