Cam Schlittler is the AL starter for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game, sorry Yankees haters

New York Yankees right-hander Cam Schlittler has been the best starting pitcher in the American League so far this season. Actually, he's been the best pitcher in the AL, period. The numbers don't lie: An 8-4 record, a 1.62 ERA (first in the AL), a 0.92 WHIP (second), and a .197 opponent's batting average (second). Schlittler's 4.0 WAR soars above the rest of the pitchers in the AL, with Davis Martin of the Chicago White Sox coming in second at 2.8. Best of all, Schlittler cares more about winning than all of those impressive stats.

Schlittler has been dominant since the season began, overpowering lineups with his fastball, laser-like focus, and fearlessness. He's shown unflappable mental strength by going into Fenway Park and delivering, despite Boston Red Sox fans being particularly abusive toward Schlittler. At 25 years old, Schlittler is making history this season and has all the makings of an ace, including a killer mentality.

Yankees' Cam Schlittler is head and shoulders above every other starting pitcher in the American League

The most striking statistic of Schlittler's is his 1.71 ERA, which leads the AL, as stated above. Second-place Drew Rasmussen of the Tampa Bay Rays is far behind Schlittler with a 2.62 ERA.

Schlittler has also been a durable workhorse, logging the third-most innings pitched in the AL with 95.0. Only the Cleveland Guardians' Gavin Williams (96.2 IP) and Kansas City Royals' Michael Wacha (101.0 IP) have logged more innings, but neither pitcher has performed at Schlittler's level. Williams' ERA is 3.82, whereas Wacha's ERA (3.48) and record (5-5) are far inferior to Schlittler's numbers.

Schlittler is third in the AL in strikeouts with 109, behind Williams (111) and the Toronto Blue Jays' Dylan Cease (118). Cease's record (4-3), ERA (2.75), and innings pitched (78.2) all look unimpressive next to Schlittler.

Schlittler and Rasmussen are tied atop the AL with the lowest batting average against (.194), and Schlittler is second to Rasmussen in WHIP by a slim margin (Schlittler: 0.89, Rasmussen: 0.88). But again, Rasmussen's 2.62 ERA and 6-4 record are both inferior to Schlittler's performance in those categories.

The Guardians' Parker Messick deserves mention here due to his 7-3 record. But like the other pitchers mentioned above who aren't Schlittler, Messick's ERA (2.70) isn't close to Schlittler's. His 91 strikeouts are pretty far behind, as well.

Schlittler is a virtual lock to be the AL's starting pitcher in the All-Star Game in Philadelphia

With the 2026 MLB All-Star game less than three weeks away, the aforementioned pitchers are the names in the running to start the game for the AL, but it's really not a competition. Rasmussen, Williams, Cease, and Messick are having awesome years, but none of them compare to Schlittler's.

When asked in recent days about Schlittler's All-Star Game starter status, Yankees manager Aaron Boone didn't shy away from the question. Boone asserted that you can make the case that Schlittler's been the best pitcher in the AL.

Tarik Skubal's injury and subsequent missed time left a bit of a void atop the starting pitcher hierarchy in the AL. There was an opportunity for someone new to step into that void, and Schlittler has taken that bull by the horns.

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