NY Yankees confirm unexpected setback for key player set for crucial role in 2026

If there is one position the New York Yankees can’t afford to lose any more players at, it’s the pitching staff. By a landslide. As things stand, the Bronx Bombers might be wise to bubble-wrap their aces, relievers, and closers until Opening Day 2026 in MLB. However, the latest update signals just the opposite, as another pitcher is now questionable.

The Yankees may leave the Bronx and the dramatic lifestyle of the Big Apple, but drama simply follows them wherever they go. That is the case as New York settles into its home for the spring at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, Florida. As spring training gets underway for the Yankees, manager Aaron Boone confirmed tough news on pitcher Cam Schittler.

“Cam Schlittler has mid-back inflammation, per Boone,” New York Post’s Greg Joyce reported on X. “He’ll continue to throw but he’ll stay off the mound for a few days.”

Concerns in New York

Aside from the concerns around pitching, the Yankees don’t face many more uncertainties—or at least not ones that are too different from those of 2025. That is because the Pinstripers are rolling with virtually the same lineup as last season.

Some see it as a bad sign, but others, like Jazz Chisholm Jr., believe it’s the right move. That was made clear after the Yankees’ star infielder warned the New York Mets with a clear message about his teammates and the club in the Bronx.

Drama for the Yankees

While Boone tried to deliver a calming update, it didn’t take long for panic to break loose in New York. The Yankees already have enough question marks hovering over the mound and bullpen. Adding concerns about Schlittler’s availability to the equation is the last thing the MLB club in the Bronx needed.

The Yankees know they are up for an uphill battle in the upcoming campaign. Starting pitchers have become a rare mineral in New York, as Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon are both rehabbing from surgery. They should be good to play at some point in the 2026 MLB season, but how they will perform is a big concern in Yankee Stadium.

Schlittler could be pivotal piece in 2026

Thus, Schlittler could emerge as a reliable starting option for Boone and the Pinstripers. The former seventh-round selection in the 2022 MLB Draft has made 14 appearances so far in his career, starting each and every one of them. Heading into the 2026 campaign, Schlittler boasts a career 2.0 WAR, 2.9 ERA, 84 strikeouts, and 1.219 WHIP in 73 innings pitched.

Obviously, with Rodon’s and Cole’s performances uncertain, experienced aces like Max Fried and Ryan Weathers are expected to carry the load for the Yankees. Still, New York believes Schlittler can grow into a similar role in the future, and proving that in 2026 could go a long way toward helping him make his case. However, if setbacks continue to emerge, that won’t be possible.