Yankees’ Cam Schlittler wins unanimous AL Cy Young in second MLB season

Cam Schlittler has won the 2026 American League Cy Young Award, earning unanimous support in Baseball Writers Association of America voting after just his second major league season. The results, announced Wednesday, placed the New York Yankees right-hander ahead of Toronto Blue Jays ace Dylan Cease and Cleveland Guardians rookie Parker Messick.

The award ends Tarik Skubal’s two-year hold on the AL honor. Skubal, now a free agent, won the previous two awards while pitching for the Detroit Tigers. Schlittler claimed this year’s prize following an age-25 season in which he led American League pitchers in wins above replacement, with 7.0, and topped the league with a 215 ERA+.

That ERA+ established a Yankees franchise record, reflecting a park-adjusted earned run average that was 115% better than the league average. Among qualifying Yankees pitchers, Ron Guidry’s 208 ERA+ in 1978 is the closest comparison. Schlittler also shared the AL lead in fielding independent pitching at 2.56 and struck out 31.4% of the batters he faced, the league’s second-highest rate.

His performance at the head of New York’s rotation helped the Yankees navigate a season in which Aaron Judge missed almost 100 games. With their franchise slugger and reigning two-time AL Most Valuable Player absent for much of the campaign, the Yankees still finished with 93 victories and the American League’s best run differential. They also advanced to the American League Division Series.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone praised Schlittler’s season and development in a statement, crediting the pitcher’s commitment to work and refinement for his progress since being drafted. Boone described him as the league’s most dominant pitcher and said he was continuing to become a foundational player for New York. “This Cy Young is richly deserved,” Boone said.

Schlittler followed a strong rookie year in 2025 by changing how he used his pitches. He relied more heavily on his sinker and cutter, while improved ride on his 98-mph fastball also helped him build on that debut season. He will not turn 26 until February.

The victory makes Schlittler the seventh Yankees pitcher to receive the Cy Young Award. He joins current teammate Gerrit Cole, who won in 2023, along with Roger Clemens in 2001, Guidry in 1978, Sparky Lyle in 1977, Whitey Ford in 1961 and Bob Turley in 1958.