The New York Mets didn’t just beat their cross-town rivals 12-2 on Saturday; they made themselves heard inside Yankee Stadium. With chants ringing through the Bronx, the visiting fans had created a home-like atmosphere that obviously didn’t sit well with Cam Schlittler. The starting pitcher wanted to respond in his own style, and he did exactly that on Sunday from the mound. As the New York Yankees clinched the series, the righty delivered a blunt message to the opposing fans.
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“It was a little frustrating yesterday hearing all the Mets chants. I wanted to make sure I came in here today and shut that down,” Chris Kirschner wrote on X, quoting Schlittler.
The 25-year-old delivered six scoreless innings, allowing only 1 hit and 2 walks. He struck out 8 hitters in the process, and the Yankees had a 2-0 shutout win against the Mets. The visitors never really threatened him, except for the come-backer from Bo Bichette. The 111.5 mph hit him in the back of the right leg, creating some concern.
“Hard hit, so it’ll be a fun couple of days trying to get that recovered,” Schlittler said after they secured the Subway Series 2-1, admitting that they were in a “good spot.”
The Mets entered the series with a 68-78 record, and even a sweep wouldn’t have smoothed their path to the playoffs. The Yankees, on the other hand, were already atop the Wild Card standings, but that didn’t make the rivalry any less exciting.
The hosts claimed the series opener with a 6-4 win, and many thought they would have an easy triumph over their NL rivals. Yet the Mets pulled off something spectacular in the second game. They outplayed the Yankees with a 12-2 win. Francisco Lindor recorded a leadoff homer in the first inning, and then he had a grand slam in the eighth. The Mets had 6 home runs to level the series, and the fans took over the Yankees’ own ballpark.
That’s why Schlittler said it was a little frustrating for him, and after he made sure the Mets could put anything on the scoreboard on Sunday, the trio of Brent Headrick, Paul Blackburn and David Bednar did the same. Meanwhile, a home run from Ben Rice in the first inning and another 392-ft homer from Austin Wells in the third did enough to secure a victory in the rubber game.
Aaron Judge, who is still trying to find his rhythm at the plate, went 0-for-3 in this game. While his bat remained silent, he was not. The captain offered his own take on Cam Schlittler’s performance, saying:
“He’s definitely pitching like an MVP. But they’ve got a Cy Young Award for a reason, best pitcher in the game. He’s got my vote, definitely, for the Cy Young.”
The way the young pitcher dominated the Mets lineup offered little to argue Judge’s claims. But for now, they will focus on the young pitcher’s recovery and finishing the remaining games on a high note.