Video summary
Cam Schlittler reflected on his team's narrow five-run victory against Toronto, acknowledging that while they managed to keep their opponents in the game until late innings, there were moments where the defense felt like they were fighting harder than usual throughout the day. He admitted that he did not feel entirely in his typical rhythm as the afternoon progressed, noting that some days simply do not go according to plan despite having a talented roster ready to support him. The pitcher expressed frustration with these inconsistencies but emphasized the need for improvement while still giving credit to his teammates for putting up a solid fight and making key plays on defense to help secure the win.
Schlittler highlighted how he was able to navigate through the early innings relatively unscathed by relying heavily on defensive support, which allowed him to make critical outs even when facing difficult situations in quick succession. Although there were some long stretches where batters found success against his arm, he credited the defense for making plays that kept him competitive and extended his outing into the sixth inning before eventually yielding runs. He recognized that while pitching is a personal responsibility, winning games ultimately depends on finding ways to overcome tough stretches and putting the team in better positions when they are not at their sharpest.
The conversation also shifted to Kirk's impressive performance against Yankees pitching during his time in the league, with Schlittler praising him as a good player who rarely misses pitches regardless of where he is positioned. He explained that while strikeouts are important, one cannot always rely on them and must respect opponents who use effective approaches to keep the ball in play. Schlittler noted that Kirk made solid contact by shooting up the middle after getting an opportunity, demonstrating why he has been such a tough hitter throughout his career despite facing strong pitching staffs like the Yankees'.
Ultimately, Schlittler concluded that baseball is inherently unpredictable and involves finding ways to win even when conditions are not ideal or when pitchers cannot consistently turn their outings into wins. He acknowledged that there will always be difficult stretches in any season but stressed the importance of learning from these experiences to improve for future games. The pitcher expressed a determination to get better at navigating close situations, understanding that every loss provides valuable lessons on how to adjust and perform more effectively when it matters most against high-level competition.
Read the full video transcript
Can you certainly kept the team in the
game just one run over five and a third
but Aaron just said he felt like maybe
you were kind of fighting it a little
bit all day. Did you feel like you
weren't in your typical rhythm as the
day went on?
>> Yeah, for sure. Again, I mean
some days you got it, some you don't. Um
I got a great team here and uh
I just got to throw strikes.
Three bases there. Um it's frustrating
so definitely got to be better but um
yeah, I thought they put a good fight
up.
>> That being said, how were you able to
work into the sixth relatively
unscathed?
>> Yeah, I mean
give the defense a shot, make plays. Um
some quick innings there but some long
ones as well so um
they battled and um they made me work
and
should get out of six there but but but
couldn't.
>> What pressure has stretched him when
when his pitching has been there but not
being able to turn him into wins?
>> It's baseball. Um
you got to find
ways to win games and and definitely
starts with me. I don't think I was, you
know, that sharp out there and
um
definitely got to put the team in a
better position but uh
yeah, I mean that's that's the game and
some tough stretches here but you know,
we got to find, you know, ways to to win
those close ones.
>> Can you elaborate on how Kirk has hit
Yankees pitching as long as he's been in
the league well before you got here?
What what makes him such a tough at bat?
>> Yeah, he's a good player. I mean
doesn't miss really, you know, you can't
always just go for the strike out. Um
but yeah, I mean he's a good player.
Uses the approach that, you know, the
team uses, puts the ball in play and
gives him a shot so
yeah, I just left one out over there,
you know, for him to to to shoot up the
middle and
again, he made a good swing on it.