Yankees pitcher Cam Schlittler says he’s getting death threats ahead of Fenway Park debut

“(You’d) think after last time, how much they were talking before, that they might be trying to quiet it down a little bit.”

Cam Schlittler has become a thorn in the side of Red Sox fans. AP Photo/Frank Franklin II

April 19, 2026 | 6:03 PM

2 minutes to read

Thursday should be an exciting day for Cam Schlittler and his family.

The Yankees pitcher and Walpole native is set to make his debut at Fenway Park that night amid another anticipated series between Boston and New York.

Ahead of his first start in the Red Sox’ ballpark, Schlittler acknowledged that his past postseason success against Boston — as well as his willingness to troll Red Sox fans online — has led to some harsh rebukes.

Speaking to Joel Sherman of the New York Post, Schlittler said that both he and his family have received death threats and other messages in the lead-up to Thursday’s game.

“Most normal fans could care less, right?,” Schlittler told Sherman. “It’s just those diehards that just have nothing else in their lives other than baseball or sports that really care about this and the fact that I play for the Yankees makes it worse for them.”

The 25-year-old righty added that he doesn’t believe that the death threats and other messages require getting the police involved.

Schlittler, who grew up a Red Sox fan and played baseball at Northeastern, is still expecting a hostile crowd when he takes to the mound on Thursday.

“It’s gonna be bad, it’s gonna be bad. I’m not nervous about it. But it’s gonna be loud,” Schlittler told Sherman. “They’re gonna probably have dudes that are my age or a little bit younger, sitting right outside the [visiting] bullpen, yelling whatever, probably throwing stuff at me, trying to grab me.

“That’s kind of what I expect. So I know the guys are excited for it and I’m excited for it.”

Schlittler has already emerged as a new antagonist for Boston sports fans, given both his strong play and his willingness to dish it right back.

Schlittler ended Boston’s 2025 season last October at Yankee Stadium, with the rookie starter pitching eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts en route to a 4-0 series victory for New York in Game 3 of the AL Wild Card series.

“Drinking dat dirty water,” Schlittler wrote in one social media post after he shut down Boston’s bats in that win-or-go-home bout.

Drinking dat dirty water
— Cam (@Cam31Schlittler) October 3, 2025

After that Game 3 win, Schlittler said taking on Boston became “personal” to him, noting that he and his family had been harassed online by Red Sox fans.

“I’m not gonna get into it, but there’s a line and I think they crossed it a little bit,” Schlittler told reporters. “I’m a competitor, and I’m gonna go out there and make sure I shut ’em down.

“You know Boston fans, that’s just how it is. We’re aggressive back home and we’re gonna try to get under people’s skin. They just picked the wrong guy to do it to and the wrong team to do it to.”

Schlittler has impressed so far in his first full season in the big leagues in 2026, going 2-1 with a 1.95 ERA and 36 strikeouts over 27.2 innings of work so far this year.

Even with the expected jeers that he’s expected to receive on Thursday, Schlittler doesn’t appear to be backing down.

“(You’d) think after last time,” Schlittler told The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty on the chirps from Red Sox fans, “how much they were talking before, that they might be trying to quiet it down a little bit.”