Sports loyalty runs deep, but for Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler, his loyalty to the Boston Bruins has reopened old wounds since New York’s playoff exit. In his last game, the young right-hander pitched 6.1 innings and gave up two runs. However, his loyalty to his hometown hockey team has made fans even more angry because they are still upset about his Massachusetts roots. Schlittler’s Boston Bruins profile picture has made things awkward for a player who gave everything for his adopted team, even though he threw 88 pitches with 69 strikes and only gave up eight hits with no walks in his elimination game.

Wednesday was Schlittler’s second important postseason game for the Yankees, and it was his best performance of the ALDS against Toronto. The flamethrower pitched for 6.1 innings, giving up only two earned runs on eight hits and throwing 88 pitches, 69 of which were strikes. He didn’t walk a single batter. His command was great, but the Yankees’ offense fell apart against Toronto’s bullpen strategy. They only scored two runs in a 5-2 loss that ended their season. The Blue Jays hit a lot of balls, which took away Schlittler’s strikeout weapons. He only struck out two batters, compared to the 12 he struck out in his dominant Game 3 against Boston.

Cam Schlittler has been haunted by the Boston connection throughout this playoff run. Before Red Sox Game 3, he sent his family a message to let them know that Yankee Stadium would be a dangerous place. “I sent my family a text 20 minutes before the game,” Schlittler told ESPN. “Hey, this is postseason baseball,” I said. We’re from Boston, but that doesn’t matter. They will bother you. Don’t answer at all. Don’t go near it. Don’t give them an advantage. We’ll take care of it after the game, no matter what. And I’ll go kick their ass.” Now, his social media presence has reignited the controversy. SavageX says that “Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler has changed his profile picture to the Boston Bruins logo and has the garden in his header. Love it.”

The elimination hurts more because Schlittler showed he could handle pressure. His great play in the Wild Card series saved New York’s season once before, making him a dependable postseason pitcher even though he was a rookie. The Yankees haven’t won the World Series since 2009, and this loss adds another year to their second-longest drought.

Cam Schlittler Draws Red Sox Fan Interest After Boston Bruins Display

The pain of getting rid of him had barely gone away when Schlittler’s activity on social media sparked a new controversy among Yankees fans. His choice to use the Boston Bruins logo as his profile picture and TD Garden as the main image in his header shocked a fan base that was already upset about the playoffs. The timing was terrible for a pitcher who had just given it his all on the mound.

Fans were very angry on social media and asked if he was still loyal to New York. “Well, he’s from Boston,” said one fan dismissively, as if that explained everything about the elimination. Another Red Sox supporter twisted the knife: “Damn, what an absolute beauty. Sox are looking for a couple of arms this winter anyway. Bring him home.” The comment made it clear that Schlittler’s 12-strikeout performance against Boston in Game 3 was exactly the kind of arm their rivals really needed. His dominant performance, which was the best postseason pitching performance by a Yankee this year, now felt like an audition for the wrong team.

As more fans spoke out about his divided loyalties, the criticism grew stronger. “Can’t take the Boston fan out of a person no matter who they play for,” read another response that got to the heart of what Yankees fans were upset about. Schlittler’s hometown pride overshadowed his on-field contributions, even though he gave his team quality starts when they needed them most. One user dismissed him entirely: “The Boston fanbase doesn’t need him.” Both sides turned him down, leaving the rookie pitcher stuck in a loyalty trap of his own making after pitching in two playoff games with a 2.84 ERA.

The teasing reached its peak when fans said he would leave the Bronx. “Soon to be ex-Yankees pitcher… lol,” was another reaction that showed people thought his connections in Boston would eventually pull him away from New York. Fans remembered his pre-game text to his family, in which he warned them that they would be treated badly at Yankee Stadium because they were from Massachusetts. This comment gained popularity. Yet his Bruins loyalty suggested where his heart truly belonged, leaving Yankees faithful wondering if they’d ever fully won over their Boston-born pitcher.