The best day of the season (so far) is upon us
NEW YORK - For some, it's hard to fathom who both the Yankees and Red Sox are putting their faith in to save their respective seasons.
For New York, it's the kid from Walpole, Cam Schlittler, whose main source of income was putting Christmas trees on cars just a few years ago. His only other introduction to facing Red Sox hitters? As a freshman at Northeastern, it was getting a chance to pitch in the annual exhibition game at JetBlue Park five years ago.
"I would say growing up in Boston, I take pride in being from Boston," Schlittler said. "When it came to my career and where I want to be, this is where I want to be. They are full Yankee guys now. They don't wear it around as much in Boston just because. When they are here, they are very prideful about it."
No matter. By now, Schlittler has proven he belongs, having totaled a 2.96 ERA in 14 big league starts. For those in his new clubhouse, there is little hesitation in identifying the Christmas Tree kid as their season's savior.
"I mean, everybody knows the kind of stuff that Cam has," said Yankees Game 2 starter. "You know, he's equipped well with a pretty impressive arsenal. I am excited to see him go to work. I am excited to see how, you know, the energy and the crowd and how he interacts with that. It's going to be really good for him. He needs to experience this. I am looking forward to seeing him dominate tomorrow."
The same goes for the other rookie in Thursday night's equation, Red Sox rookie starter Connelly Early.
As is the case with the Yankees' Game 3 starter, the innocence and lack of experience aren't difficult to decipher when it comes to Early. Before walking into Yankee Stadium a few days ago, the kid from Virginia had one lone introduction to baseball in the Bronx. That was a wide-eyed 8-year-old.
"I don’t remember too much," Early said of his trip to the old Yankee Stadium. "I know my brother was wearing a Red Sox jersey in the stands, so my family was getting a lot of boos for that. It’s a little different being a player and being in the stands."
The reality is, however, that none of the Red Sox players who are entering into this win-or-go-home scenario care that Early's only other experience involving the Yankees was watching his brother pay the price for his Pedroia passion. All they know is what they have seen over the past month.
That has been good enough for them.
"I think that he is very, very mature, both as a pitcher and as a human being," said Red Sox starter Lucas Giolito. "That combination lends itself to being prepared to take on a situation like this. The stuff is real. He’s throwing four or five pitches for strikes. You usually don’t see that in a young arm. You’ll see electric stuff. But the pitchability aspect is the real deal. I think it’s an advantage that they have never seen him before. Just take the ball and go.
"He doesn’t have to make it bigger than what it is. He doesn’t have to do anything extraordinary other than just be himself and compete and execute pitches. He does that and he’s going to do a great job and put us in a good position to win."
Sure, the storyline is tantalizing. It is, after all, the first time in MLB that two pitchers with 15 big league appearances or fewer face off in a postseason tilt. It is also (according to MLB.com) the third-youngest matchup in a win-or-go-home game ever, only trailing Ian Anderson and Dustin May (2020) and the 1997 showdown between Jaret Wright and Andy Pettitte.
But Giolito's analysis overtakes any sort of record-keeping.
The Red Sox need Early. Early has proven he has the demeanor and stuff to succeed on this sort of stage. Age is out the window. If the Sox rookie has any doubts, all he has to do is look a few lockers down at another player who lived this life.
In 2015, with just six big league starts under his belt, Steven Matz was asked by the Mets to become a valued member of their postseason starting rotation. He can relate.
"You got there for a reason so, A, enjoy it, and, B, trust what you have," Matz said. "You don't have to do anything more."
"He’s been amazing the whole year," said Red Sox catcher Carlos Narvaez of Early. "The kid is electric. He can use any pitch, any count. So that's the best chance. We’ve got a better chance that they haven't seen him. That’s the good part of it. I’ve gotta lead the way for him."
For others it might historic. For Early, it's not all that complicated.
"Let's go," he said with a smile before leaving the Red Sox's clubhouse Wednesday night. "Let's do it."