​WASHINGTON — Cam Schlittler had a case to start the All-Star Game. Instead, he won’t pitch in Tuesday’s exhibition at all. The Yankees’ emerging ace is healthy, Aaron Boone said Sunday morning. Yet Schlittler, who allowed two earned runs over 6 2/3 innings and 99 pitches against the Washington Nationals on Saturday, voiced concerns about pitching with intensity on what would normally be a between-start throw day.
“He came in today, talked to me about it, made that decision,” Boone said before the Yankees finished the first half with a 5-3, series-sweeping win over the Nationals on Sunday. “Just feels like, on his recovery day, to go back out there throwing 100 mph is something that he felt a little apprehensive about. So I certainly support that decision, and obviously, he understands what’s at stake here in the second half for us and for him. I’m certainly supportive of his decision.”
Boone spoke at Nationals Park before Toronto Blue Jays skipper John Schneider, who is managing the American League in the All-Star Game, spoke to reporters in San Diego on Sunday. According to The Athletic’s Mitch Bannon, Schneider picked Toronto’s Dylan Cease to start on Saturday night. “If Cam was going to pitch, my decision was still going to be Dylan,” Schneider said.
With an American League-leading 2.05 ERA, Schlittler was seen as the favorite to start for the Junior Circuit. Cease had even said that Schlittler “earned” the right earlier this week. Cease has a 2.56 ERA, but his 3.7 fWAR is better than Schlittler’s 3.5. Cease also leads in xERA, FIP, xFIP, K%, and opponent batting average, while Schlittler has Cease beat in wins, BB%, WHIP, innings and starts.
MLB.com’s Keegan Matheson reported that Schneider informed MLB of his decision last night, and that he and Boone spoke Sunday morning. However, it wasn’t clear if that conversation took place before or after Boone spoke to reporters at 11:30 a.m. ET. A league spokesperson declined to comment when the New York Daily News asked if and when the Yankees informed MLB that Schlittler would not pitch in the All-Star Game.
Boone spoke as if he was unaware of Schneider’s decision at the time of his pregame media availability, stating that he wanted to ensure Schlittler had given his decision serious thought, considering he was a theoretical option to start.
“And he has,” Boone continued before adding, “there’s nothing wrong with him. He feels good. He feels normal today post-outing. But I just wanted him to be thoughtful in how he came to that decision, and certainly, we support him wholeheartedly.” Boone also said that he thought Schlittler’s choice “could have gone either way.” On Saturday, the 25-year-old first-time All-Star seemed to be on the fence about pitching in the Midsummer Classic.