TAMPA, Fla. — Yankees manager Aaron Boone was asked before Wednesday night’s game against the Rays if the plan is to continue having rookie right-hander Cam Schlittler working five-innings starts.
“Just depends,” Boone said. “If we can get him deep into a game, great. Those are decisions that kind of happen in the moment depending on the game and how it’s unfolding and where you are.”
How about a no-hit bid?
How about an early run at a perfect game?
Making his seventh career start since a first MLB call-up on July 9, Schlittler was perfect through five innings in the Yankees’ series finale against the Rays.
The Yankees led the Rays 2-0 through five on the strength of two solo home runs, Trent Grisham’s to lead off the game and Austin Wells’ with one out in the fifth.
Retiring 15 in a row, Schlittler’s pitch count was at just 56 heading into the fifth inning, 43 of them strikes.
He fanned five through five innings — one in each frame — and nobody came close to getting a hit.
The Yankees took a quick 1-0 lead when Grisham homered off Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen before Schlitter began his mastery.
Schlittler started his outing with Chandler Simpson striking out looking on three pitches, then he retired Yandy Diaz and Brandon Lower on flyballs in an 11-pitch inning.
Heading into the game, Schilling was 1-2 with a 3.94 ERA. He worked five innings in four starts, a career-long 5.1 innings in his debut and 4.1 in another.
“I’m really encouraged by the way he continues to throw the ball,” Boone said.
Here are other recent NJ.com Yankees posts to check out:
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— Yankees add pitcher for series finale with Rays
— Yankees make prediction after 9-homer onslaught
— Yankees’ 9 homers traveled almost a mile; Here’s blow-by-blow
— Aaron Judge, Aaron Boone have difference of opinion on his throwing arm
— Yankees lose reliever to IL, another headed for MRI
— Yankees add impact bat to active roster ahead of Rays series
— Yankees added a hated pest, and now it’s true love
— Why is Rob Manfred trying so hard to ruin MLB? | Klapisch
–Why Doc Gooden won’t ever cut his Yankees ties | Klapisch
— What Max Fried, Yankees make of his 6-week slump that just got worse
— Elton John has nothing on Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm
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