Sign up for the Today newsletter
Get everything you need to know to start your day, delivered right to your inbox every morning.
David Ortiz made an awkward on-air reference about Yankees’ pitcher from Mass.
"Let's go to a break, guys."
David Ortiz’s MLB commentary: Former Red Sox slugger David Ortiz has always been comfortable in spotlight. Sometimes, the ex-World Series hero can be a little too comfortable.
During a Tuesday segment on Fox Sports’ MLB postseason coverage, Ortiz was on a panel with fellow ex-players Derek Jeter and Alex Rodriguez (alongside commentator Kevin Burkhardt). As he quizzed other panelists on how to pronounce the last name of Yankees rookie pitcher Cam Schlittler, Ortiz was then asked how he would say it.
“Sounds like Hitler,” Ortiz said. Though an obvious joke, the jarring reference immediately induced awkward reactions.
“Let’s go to a break, guys,” said Jeter as Rodriguez tried to laugh it off.
Advertisement:
“I’m going [with] Cam,” Ortiz added of how he’d reference the Yankees starter. “I don’t want to get into trouble.”
“You just call him Cam, Papi,” Burkhardt concluded. “Maybe it’ll be Mr. Cam depending on how he pitches tomorrow.”
It’s not the first time that Schlittler, a Walpole, Massachusetts, native, has had his name become the subject of on-air awkwardness. Rodriguez previously butchered the pronunciation, and longtime MLB pundit Chris “Mag Dog” Russo somehow managed to say it three different ways in a single clip during a recent radio segment.
Schlittler, selected by New York in the seventh round of the 2022 MLB Draft out of Northeastern University, went 4-3 with a 2.96 ERA after being called up earlier in 2025. During the previous Yankees playoff series, he pitched an absolute gem (eight scoreless innings with 12 strikeouts) in New York’s 4-0 win to eliminate the Red Sox.
Advertisement:
He is set to start in Game 4 on Wednesday evening against Blue Jays right-hander Louis Varland at 7:08 p.m. The Yankees trail the best-of-three series 2-1, and face elimination.
Trivia: According to information compiled by Baseball Reference, which Massachusetts-born MLB player has the most career home runs?
(Answer at the bottom.)
Hint: He was the 1994 National League MVP.
Scores and schedules:
Tonight, the Bruins begin the 2025-26 season in Washington, D.C., against the Capitals at 7:30 p.m.
Tomorrow, the Bruins return home for the TD Garden home opener against the Blackhawks at 7 p.m.
On Sunday, the Patriots will travel to New Orleans to play the Saints at 1 p.m.
More from Boston.com:
- Our 10 bold predictions for the 2025-26 Bruins
- Report: Bill Belichick’s UNC football is an ‘unstructured mess’ with a divided locker room
- The Sports Hub continues its dominance in summer ratings
- Bruins legend Zdeno Chara reflects on getting his No. 33 retired
- NFL fines Jerry Jones $250,000 for obscene MetLife gesture he says was inadvertent
- Upset win over Buffalo boosted Patriots’ playoff chances significantly
- ‘I hate it’: Rex Ryan reluctantly credited Mike Vrabel for ‘night and day’ Patriots turnaround
- Jayson Tatum named as Duke’s first ‘Chief Basketball Officer’
Sounds from Sunday: The Patriots released more mic’d up footage from the win in Buffalo.
On this day: In 2018, the Red Sox smashed the Yankees 16-1 in Game 3 of the ALDS to push New York to the brink. Brock Holt highlighted the night, going 4-for-6 with five RBIs while hitting for the cycle.
Daily highlight: Alexia Putellas scored an absolute “golazo” in Barcelona’s 7-1 destruction of Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Tuesday, curling her shot perfectly around the outstretched goalkeeper’s hands.
Trivia answer: Jeff Bagwell
To comment, please create a screen name in your profile
To comment, please verify your email address
Conversation
This discussion has ended. Please join elsewhere on Boston.com