New York Pitching: Cam Schlittler Claims Unanimous AL Cy Young
The 25-year-old right-hander secured the award with a perfect score, ending Tarik Skubal's two-year streak and setting a new franchise record for ERA+.
By Lucas Navarro ·
The vote was unanimous.
Cam Schlittler won the 2026 American League Cy Young Award on Wednesday. The Baseball Writers Association of America awarded the New York Yankees right-hander the honor without a single vote going to another candidate. This marks his second season in the major leagues. The win places him ahead of Toronto Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease and Cleveland Guardians rookie Parker Messick.
The result ends a two-year run for Tarik Skubal. Skubal, who is now a free agent, won the previous two awards while pitching for the Detroit Tigers. Schlittler’s claim to the prize rests on a season where he led American League pitchers in wins above replacement with a 7.0 rating. He also topped the league with a 215 ERA+, a park-adjusted metric indicating his earned run average was 115% better than the league average. This figure sets a new Yankees franchise record. The closest previous comparison is Ron Guidry’s 208 ERA+ in 1978. Schlittler also shared the AL lead in fielding independent pitching at 2.56. He struck out 31.4% of batters faced, the second-highest rate in the league.
Schlittler’s performance anchored the Yankees’ rotation during a challenging campaign. Aaron Judge, the reigning two-time AL Most Valuable Player, missed nearly 100 games. Despite that absence, New York finished with 93 victories and the American League’s best run differential. The team advanced to the American League Division Series. Yankees manager Aaron Boone cited Schlittler’s commitment to work and refinement in a statement. Boone called him the league’s most dominant pitcher and a foundational player for the team. “This Cy Young is richly deserved,” Boone said.
The pitcher changed his approach after a strong 2025 debut. He leaned more heavily on his sinker and cutter. Improved ride on his 98-mph fastball also contributed to his progress. Schlittler will not turn 26 until February. This victory makes him the seventh Yankees pitcher to receive the Cy Young Award. He joins Gerrit Cole, who won in 2023, as well as Roger Clemens in 2001, Sparky Lyle in 1977, Whitey Ford in 1961, and Bob Turley in 1958.
The award ceremony concluded the regular season honors. Schlittler’s name now stands at the top of the all-time Yankees list for the distinction.
More Sports · National news · Report a business · Got a Story?
