New York Yankees rookie Schlittler has demonstrated ace-level performance in his first eight career starts.

Whenever Cam Schlittler takes the mound, Yankees manager Aaron Boone sees the future of the team. Labeled as a "future rotation cornerstone," this strong right-handed pitcher once again showed his worth today by throwing six shutout innings with eight strikeouts, guiding the Yankees to a 10-5 win at home against the Nationals.

"The key is to stay confident," Schlittler said after the game. "This mindset has become increasingly important over the past two years. Seeing the results firsthand, combined with the trust from teammates in the clubhouse, allows me to focus more easily on the game." Ben Rice, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Jasson Domínguez all contributed home runs, helping the Yankees shake off the weekend loss to the Red Sox and secure the series opener against the last-place Nationals.

This victory improved the Yankees' record against teams below .500 to 37-26, while their record against teams above .500 stands at 34-34. In his eighth major league start, Schlittler completely stifled the Nationals’ lineup, allowing only 4 hits and issuing 3 walks over 96 pitches, lowering his ERA to 2.76. Boone praised it as "another dominant performance."

Chisholm commented, "He makes us feel confident; as long as we score, we know he’ll hold the lead." Rice described Schlittler as a "tough player" with a blue-collar work ethic that keeps him fighting. This rookie has not only established himself but continues to improve, gradually proving he can play a key role in the postseason rotation.

"We have growing confidence in him," said Cody Bellinger. "Young players always have ups and downs, but his performance is truly impressive. He’s an important part of the clubhouse, and it’s a joy to see him improve with each start." Schlittler became the first Yankees pitcher since Masahiro Tanaka in 2014 to allow three or fewer runs in each of his first eight starts.

"As a rookie, you can’t get too comfortable," Schlittler said. "The important thing is to keep doing your job. I aim to pitch six to seven innings to give the team a chance to win." In today’s game, Schlittler’s fastball reached a top speed of 100.6 mph, with an average velocity of 97.8 mph. This is especially remarkable considering he was drafted in the seventh round three years ago with a fastball speed of only 91-92 mph.

"What makes him special is that he wasn’t a natural talent," Rice revealed. "I remember when he was first drafted, starting extended spring training, he wasn’t known for velocity. But through hard work, gaining weight and muscle, he has honed himself into an excellent pitcher." When asked about the secret to increasing his velocity, Schlittler simply answered, "It all comes down to hard training."

Although the Yankees’ ability to develop young pitchers is often questioned, Schlittler has become a success story. "He’s now a key arm in the stretch run, which is a pleasant surprise," Boone said. "But baseball is full of surprises." Before last month’s trade deadline, Schlittler was a sought-after target by many teams, but Yankees GM Brian Cashman listed him alongside infielder George Lombard Jr. and outfielder Spencer Jones as untouchable.

"I know the front office found it hard to trade him," Boone said. "Unless they got an offer they couldn’t refuse." Now that he’s stayed, it’s Schlittler’s turn to shine—every five days, proving his strength against opposing lineups.