Please Don't Trade Away Schlittler!

If you’ve caught even a glimpse of Cam Schlittler lately, you know the kid’s got it. And by it, I mean the kind of stuff that makes teams drool and GMs nervously clutch their top prospect lists like a toddler with a security blanket. We saw him recently, and to say he impressed would be underselling it. Schlittler didn’t just pitch — he arrived.

Now with the trade deadline rumors swirling like a Bronx blizzard, three names keep popping up in every hypothetical: Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., and, yep, Cam Schlittler. And here’s my take — if you’re thinking about trading Schlittler for a rental, you might need to go lie down and reconsider your life choices. Why do I feel like Cashman has a disregard for these kids and will just give them up? I’m worried.

This isn’t just some intriguing prospect with a live arm. Schlittler has the makings of a rotation anchor — a legit front-line starter if he can tighten up the command. Sure, that’s a “work in progress,” but aren’t we all? He’s shown enough flashes to make you believe the Yankees don’t just have something — they have someone.

And look, I get it. The Yankees need an infielder. Probably yesterday. But they also need a real rotation moving forward, and you don’t build one by flipping high-upside arms like Schlittler for a quick fix. So the recent chatter about shipping off one of our Big 3 for Eugenio Suárez? Hard pass. Yes, Suárez can play third, and frankly, might be a better shortstop than Anthony Volpe on his off days (sorry, not sorry), but mortgaging one of those guys for a bat who may or may not pan out in New York? That’s how you end up on the wrong end of a “What were they thinking?” documentary in five years.

If the Yankees are going to make a move — and they will — I’m betting Everson Pereira is the guy who gets shipped out. It just makes too much sense. The team has cooled on him, there’s no real fit for him at the moment, and he still has enough shine to draw interest. That’s your play.

So yes, deals are coming. And yes, it’ll cost something to land a legit bat and solid defensive third baseman. But Schlittler? He should be off-limits. The future’s too bright, and the ceiling’s too high. The Yankees need to start thinking long-term while still winning now — and that starts by keeping arms like Schlittler in pinstripes.

We’ll see what Brian Cashman cooks up. But if Cam’s name is in the deal? Push the plate away.