Cam Schlittler Wins American League Cy Young Unanimously

Schlittler received all 30 first-place votes, finishing ahead of Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Dylan Cease and Cleveland Guardians rookie Parker Messick. The award is the first of the 25-year-old’s career and the seventh won by a Yankees player.

In his debut year as a full-time major leaguer, Schlittler led the American League with a 1.95 ERA and allowed one run or none in 21 starts, the most in the majors. He threw 193⅔ innings and led AL pitchers with a 7.0 WAR. His 215 ERA+—a measure comparing a pitcher’s performance with league average—set a Yankees franchise record.

Schlittler’s performance helped New York win 93 games and reach the American League Division Series. The Yankees also spent almost 100 games without Aaron Judge, their reigning back-to-back AL MVP.

The right-hander’s rise followed his selection by the Yankees in the seventh round of the 2022 draft. After a promising but less dominant 2025 debut, he added greater use of his sinker and cutter and improved the movement on his fastball, which can reach 100 mph.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Schlittler’s growth and work ethic, calling him the league’s most dominant pitcher. General manager Brian Cashman credited his commitment to training and changes in his pitching approach. Schlittler joins Bob Turley, Whitey Ford, Sparky Lyle, Ron Guidry, Roger Clemens and Gerrit Cole among Yankees Cy Young winners.