The Yankees might have found themselves a gem in rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler, and he’s already making history in pinstripes. According to the YES Network, Schlittler just became the first Yankees rookie ever to post back-to-back starts of at least six innings with eight or more strikeouts. And on Monday against the Nationals, he went six strong innings, fanned eight, and picked up the win. But that wasn’t a one-off, either.

Notably, he’s now put together two straight scoreless outings. In fact, August has been a breakout month for him with 27.2 innings, five runs allowed, and 31 SOs. And with a new arm throwing triple-digit heat, the natural comparison is Paul Skenes.

Guess what, Schlittler stacks up. Reportedly, among pitchers who’ve thrown at least 400 four-seam fastballs this season, Schlittler averages 98.0 mph, just a hair behind Skenes at 98.2 mph!

So the big question is, what’s driving the Yankees’ newest sensation? The answer might surprise you.

“I think for me, like, once I kind of really started to understand, baseball was just kind of like Jonathan Papelbon, Jon Lester, and Clay Buchholz. Obviously Sale. So those are the guys I kind of looked at. And in terms of who I thought I was as a player, I still kind of really developing. I couldn’t really find as that guy I like felt like naturally, like related to in terms of mechanics.” Schlittler was honest about his choice in an interview with MLB Network.

Surprise! A Yankees sensation is talking about his Red Sox inspirations. But expected from Schlittler. Why?

For the unversed, Schlittler’s story comes with a little twist of irony. He’s from Walpole, Massachusetts, less than an hour from Fenway Park. So naturally, he grew up a diehard Red Sox fan. But once the Yankees drafted him and brought him up to the big leagues, those Boston loyalties quickly flipped to Pinstripes.

That said, Schlittler hasn’t forgotten the pitchers he looked up to as a kid. He’s talked about drawing inspiration from guys like Jonathan Papelbon, who carved out a career with a 2.44 ERA and 808 strikeouts, and Jon Lester, the lefty workhorse who racked up an incredible 2,488 strikeouts over his career. And the way the young lad is progressing, inspiration might be working for him.

A meteoric rise for the Yankees’ newest arm

Don’t be shocked to hear this, but Schlittler wasn’t always seen as a can’t-miss prospect. Yes, the Yankees snagged him in the seventh round out of Northeastern in 2022, hardly the draft slot where you expect to find a future rotation anchor. But the 6-foot-6 righty has matured in a big way since then, and now the Yankees are reaping the benefits.

What’s more surprising is he’s skipped some of the usual high-minor seasoning you’d expect for a pitching prospect. Yet he’s shown up in the Yankees ready to compete. Notably, his fastball already touches triple digits and sits around 97 mph on average, per Baseball Savant. Now add the curveball he mostly uses against righties from a deceptive arm angle; it’s no wonder hitters are struggling.

Nevertheless, with Gerrit Cole lost for the year and Clarke Schmidt sidelined for at least a couple of weeks, the Yankees’ rotation currently lines up as Carlos Rodon, Max Fried, Will Warren, Luis Gil, and Schlittler. And given how sharp he’s been through his first eight starts, Schlittler is making a real case to lock down the third spot in that rotation.