Yankees’ Boston-born star silences Red Sox fans with cold message
April 12, 2026, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA: New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler 31 delivers a pitch in the second inning during an MLB, Baseball Herren, USA game against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 12, 2026 at Tropicana Field. The Rays beat the Yankees 5-4 and swept the series. St. Petersburg USA - ZUMAh180 20260412_zsp_h180_011 Copyright: xKimxHukarix
April 12, 2026, St. Petersburg, Florida, USA: New York Yankees starting pitcher Cam Schlittler 31 delivers a pitch in the second inning during an MLB, Baseball Herren, USA game against the Tampa Bay Rays on April 12, 2026 at Tropicana Field. The Rays beat the Yankees 5-4 and swept the series. St. Petersburg USA - ZUMAh180 20260412_zsp_h180_011 Copyright: xKimxHukarix
The New York Yankees' pitcher, Cam Schlittler, grew up as a Boston Red Sox fan. In just one major league season, he has emerged as a frequent target of Boston fans' boos. After breaking Boston's heart last season, Schlittler is now using words to silence them.
Schlittler grew up in Walpole, Mass, a suburb about 35 minutes southwest of Fenway Park. He was drafted by the Yankees in the 7th round of the 2022 MLB draft.
“They can say whatever they want,” Schlittler said after a loss to the Red Sox on June 25, per The Athletic. "But they’re not really in a position to be talking, considering how the standings are. Whatever they want to say, it’s just kind of useless. It just goes in one ear and out the other."
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday, April 23, 2026. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA BOP20260423005 CJxGUNTHER
New York Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts on Thursday, April 23, 2026. PUBLICATIONxNOTxINxUSA BOP20260423005 CJxGUNTHER
Schlittler's response to The Athletic came after how he responded to their rivalry that emerged last season.
The rivalry between Boston fans and the Yankees' pitcher started last season. During last year’s playoffs against the Red Sox, Schlittler had one of the most dominant starts in the franchise’s postseason.
With his 12-strikeout, scoreless outing, he poured hot water on Red Sox fans. Schlittler later revealed that he had made it his mission to eliminate Boston from the playoffs because his family was attacked online by Red Sox fans.
Schlittler has excelled against the Red Sox recently, going 2-1 with a 0.68 ERA and 31 strikeouts in four appearances over his last five games against them.
How a Red Sox fan's harsh comments inspired Yankees' Cam Schlittler
Chad Bohling, the director of organizational performance for the Yankees, showed random videos to Cam Schlittler before games. It is either people praising him or criticizing him. Why? Because it helps him focus on his performance.
Earlier in this season, Schlittler was getting ready for a game against the Tampa Bay Rays when Bohling showed him a video of the Boston Red Sox fan Jared Carrabis. Following a poor show against the Detroit Tigers, Carrabis had some harsh words for Schlittler.
"The regression is happening before our very eyes," Carrabis said on his Baseball is Dead podcast, as reported by The Athletic's same article.
The Yankees pitcher was ready to prove everyone right after a rare bad start. He allowed just one run in eight innings against the Rays, playing perhaps the most important game of his season.
"It definitely p***** me off," Schlittler told The Athletic after the game. "It was pretty easy to go out there and perform just based on the last outing, how we’ve been playing, and then the cherry on top there."
In the first half of the season, Schlittler has become one of the frontrunners for the Cy Young Award. He is leading the league in earned run average with a 2.05 ERA.
Share your thoughts on Schlitter's message for the Red Sox fans.
Read more at New York Yankees Community.
Written by
Nandjee Ranjan
Edited by
Soheli Tarafdar