Yankees Lock Schlittler Into Wild Card Rotation

Cam Schlittler has vaulted from a Double-A non-roster invitee to a front-line postseason option after dominant big-league starts (around a 3.00 ERA with roughly 75 strikeouts), effectively locking him into contention for the Yankees' No. 3 playoff starter spot. Probable regular-season finale starters (Will Warren, Schlittler, Luis Gil) would line Schlittler up for a Game 3 Wild Card start on regular rest, though manager Aaron Boone says postseason plans remain flexible. New York's top two projected starters remain Max Fried and Carlos Rodón. Boston opened Game 1 with a platoon-heavy lineup — benching Masataka Yoshida, Wilyer Abreu and Nathaniel Lowe while starting Nick Sogard — as Alex Cora said he would stick with season-long platoon usage. Fried has been strong this year but has allowed a higher OPS to lefties and his limited length raises matchup concerns, and Boston used clinch-day auditions for young arms, with Connelly Early striking out seven in five innings and presenting himself as a possible multi-inning Wild Card reliever or rotation depth alongside Payton Tolle and Nate Eaton.