TORONTO — Shortly after shoving for eight scoreless innings in the Yankees’ do-or-die Game 3 Wild Card win over the Red Sox on Thursday, Cam Schlittler said that ending Boston’s season was “personal for me.”
Not just because the Walpole, Massachusetts native grew up rooting for the Red Sox, but because some members of the fanbase he used to be part of crossed a line with their trash talking on social media. On Friday, Schlittler confirmed that some Red Sox fans went after his mom, Christine, who made her X account private the day before. The rookie didn’t know if anyone sent anything threatening her way, but he did say “some of the bigger accounts they’ve got over there” did enough to anger him, as he saw some disheartening posts before he took the mound at Yankee Stadium.
Schlittler, declining to share the contents of those posts in an effort to deprive social media trolls of the attention they crave, said he doesn’t usually spend much time on his phone before starts. However, he saw that some people sent him links and screenshots of the harassment.
“Unfortunately, it was brought to my attention,” the 24-year-old said. “It’s not something you want to deal with before you throw for the biggest start of your life. But I was able to channel that energy and go out there and perform.
“I get it, it’s part of the game. I was just kind of disappointed in the fact that, just being from that area, I wasn’t really expecting it to go that far.”
Schlittler, who became the first pitcher in major league history to toss at least eight shutout innings and record at least 12 strikeouts without walking a batter in a playoff game, went on to say “all they’re doing is feeding the fire.” He added that the posts “100%” gave him extra motivation in his postseason debut.
“I think they learned their lesson,” Schlittler continued.
Learning that Red Sox fans were harassing Cam Schlittler’s mom just made that shove session all the more sweet.
Kid is a legend. pic.twitter.com/56ameewM29
— Jacob P.M.🌔 (@JacobBSpeaks) October 3, 2025
Schlittler said that he sent his family a message before Game 3 telling them such unwanted attention comes with the territory he finds himself in now. He urged them not to respond to any unflattering messages or posts.
Aaron Boone, meanwhile, noted that social media can be a “cesspool,” but he didn’t worry about Schlittler’s mindset going into Game 3.
“Cam’s a tough kid, and I know he is going to handle any slings and arrows,” Boone said with the Yankees working out in Toronto ahead of the ALDS. “Social media can be an ugly place sometimes, unfortunately. We try to prepare our guys and obviously support our guys in so many different ways, but Cam is broad-shouldered, confident, clear-eyed, and I don’t think he’s going to be affected by much.”
Schlittler did his own fair share of trolling after his historic performance – no Yankees rookie has struck out more batters in a playoff game – as he replied to a few distraught Red Sox fans. He also tweeted out, “Drinking dat dirty water,” a nod to The Standells song that plays after the Red Sox win.
As for the Red Sox fans that Schlittler is friends with, he said they reached out and were happy for him, even if they were “bummed” about their team’s early postseason exit.
“I told them that’s exactly what was gonna happen,” Schlittler said. “They’ll get over it. Hockey season is coming up, basketball season is coming up, so I’m sure they got other things to distract them.”
Originally Published:
