NEW YORK − When the book is closed on the Yankees’ postseason journey, Cam Schlittler’s Game 3 performance in the American League Wild Card Series will have earned its own chapter.
It was masterful. It was dominant. It was one of the best October efforts in the long, storied history of the franchise.
For the even-tempered Schlittler, who tossed eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts in the series-clinching victory over the Red Sox, it was celebrate, rest and move on.
Now, with the Yankees staying alive by defeating the Toronto Blue Jays in ALDS Game 3, Schlittler is taking the mound for his second must-win postseason start in as many games in Game 4 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
“I have confidence in myself. I have this confidence in this team,” Schlittler said before Game 3.
“We’re back home in New York and we play really good here. We don’t like to get swept at home so it’s just trusting ourselves, forgetting those last two games and just resetting today. We feel like we’re 0-0, so can’t really think about that too much.”
Schlittler’s teammates and coaches expect the same stoic right-hander who regularly unfurls triple-digit fastballs to reemerge in another critical spot at home.
“He’s obviously confident in his ability and he walks out there with some pretty good equipment,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s super matter of fact and expects to do well, but also is kind of accountable and over himself too, like wanting to, ‘How can I pull something from that outing that needs to be a little bit better or build on something that was really good in that outing.'”
The Walpole, Massachusetts, native has a lot to build off following his first postseason start of his career last Thursday. He became the first pitcher in Major League Baseball postseason history to strike out at least 12 in eight innings without issuing a walk.
He also closed his outing with nine straight outs, leaving his stellar postseason debut with 107 pitches and to a rowdy ovation from the Bronx faithful.
“Just the way that he composes himself on the mound, he turns on to a different character really for me, and I notice it,” catcher Austin Wells said.
“You see him walking off the mound kind of no emotion, I think it’s pretty cool. He’s definitely a guy you want on the mound, for sure.”
This article originally appeared on NorthJersey.com: Cam Schlittler gets the start in ALDS Game 4 with Yankees’ season in hands
