New York Yankees @ New York Mets: Cam Schlittler vs. Clay Holmes

BOSTON, MA - APRIL 23: Cam Schlittler #31 of the New York Yankees warms up in the bullpen prior to the game between the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Thursday, April 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Natalie Reid/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The first Subway Series matchup of the season features a pitching duel that, a few years ago, would have sounded completely ridiculous. Currently the best starter on the Yankees staff, Cam Schlittler enters Friday night looking less like a youngster trying to stick in a rotation and more like a legitimate Cy Young contender, while former Yankees closer Clay Holmes gets the nod in Queens for the Mets.

There is not much more to say about Schlittler at this point other than he has simply been dominant. Entering play Thursday, the Yankees’ 25-year-old right-hander led Major League Baseball in ERA, FIP, WHIP, and H/9. For fun, pick between one of these two stat lines so far this season: pitcher one is 6-2 with a 1.

98 ERA and 10. 1 strikeouts per nine innings, while pitcher two is 5-1 with a 1. 35 ERA and 10.

0 strikeouts per nine innings. If you took the former, congratulations, you picked Paul Skenes. If you picked the latter, you picked Schlittler.