Cam Schlittler's latest historic feat for Yankees dates back to World War I

The New York Yankees became the New York Yankees in 1913 when they dropped their former moniker, The Highlanders, and moved from the hills of Washington Heights to the Polo Grounds. Distant memories aside, Cam Schlittler is taking fans back to 1913 days with his blistering start to the 2026 season.

After, throwing another six shutout innings against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 9, Schlittler has emerged as the first major league starter to tally at least 50 strikeouts, surrender fewer than 10 walks, allow no more than one home run, and post an ERA below 1.50 over his first nine starts to begin a season since Hall of Famer and all-time shutouts leader Walter Johnson did so in, you guessed it, 1913.

That's one year before the start of World War I. It's more than another lifetime ago. That's how special Schlittler is shaping up to be.

Maybe Pittsburgh Pirates fans will finally acknowledge that he's an upper-echelon ace. What folks should know is to doubt Schlittler at your own risk.

Cam Schlittler's historic start highlights the Yankees ace's greatest development

We knew from the stretch run last year that Schlittler was going to be very good. With a 2.96 ERA over 14 starts, there wasn't much to complain about. If there was one knock on Schlittler in 2025, it was that at times, he could lose the strike zone, posting a 10.2% walk rate versus the league average of 8.4%.

The walks weren't a major concern, but without cleaning them up, he wouldn't be able to consistently go deep into games. They'd serve as a barrier to him being a true ace. Now, though, in 2026, they've been nearly non-existent.

Schlittler's first nine starts have seen him post a sparkling 1.35 ERA over 53 1/3 innings. He's mowed down 29.2% of batters he's faced via the strikeout. On the flip side, he's recorded a minuscule 4.5% walk rate. That free pass rate is good for fourth in the majors behind only Tarik Skubal (3.6%), Bryan Woo (4.3%), and Paul Skenes (4.4%). Of the quartet, Schlittler carries the highest strikeout rate.

The amazing thing about Schlittler ranking among the game's best control artists, given where he started last year, is that the ABS challenge system has walks up across the board. In mid-April, The Athletic (subscription required) found that ABS had raised the league average walk rate to 9.9%.

It's a truly stunning development of his game. The 25-year-old controls the strike zone like few do, and his excellent stuff, paired with his zone manipulation, has him generating a 37.3% chase rate that ranks in the 95th percentile.

His electric trio of fastballs has him able to send pitches darting towards all quadrants of the zone, keeping hitters off balance and showcasing his mastery of painting the corners. Further evidencing the development of his elite command is the fact that he's given up just one homer on the year. This isn't just about throwing strikes, but throwing quality strikes.

Lastly, there's a different air of confidence in his demeanor that has helped him rise to these extreme heights. We saw it for the first time last year in the ALWCS during the contentious matchup with the Boston Red Sox.

Schlittler is cool and confident in any situation. Even getting nailed with a 108.5 MPH line drive and throwing some questionable warmup pitches that all missed high while trying to shake it off didn't derail him from coming back and dominating the Brewers' lineup.

We're watching a supremely talented pitcher at the peak of his powers, booming with confidence. At this point, you can't count Schlittler out for anything. He's in total control of his game, and nothing can shake him. Enjoy it because performances like this don't come around very often.

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