Cam Schlittler’s struggles, quiet bats leave Yankees limping into trade deadline with loss

With one of the biggest names in all of sports to be dealt away in 2025 in the building, the Yankees limped ever closer to Thursday’s trade deadline.

While GM Brian Cashman mostly is pursuing pitching help following an active weekend upgrading the lineup, NBA superstar Luka Doncic was in attendance Monday night to see the Yankees bats mostly silenced in a 4-2 loss to the Rays at the Stadium.

Rookie starter Cam Schlittler allowed three earned runs with four walks and five strikeouts over 4 ¹/₃ innings to suffer his first loss in three major league appearances.

But the Yankees (57-49) managed just three hits over the final eight innings to slip to 15-24 since June 13.

Doncic, who was traded earlier this year from the Mavericks to the Lakers in an NBA blockbuster, met before the game with several Yankees, including injured slugger Aaron Judge.

Schlittler impressed with a powerful four-seam fastball in his first two starts since a recall from Triple-A, posting 10 strikeouts over 10 ¹/₃ innings in Yankees victories over the Mariners and the Jays this month.

Before the game, Aaron Boone called Schlittler’s heater “his calling card,” but the manager stressed the rookie’s secondary pitches still need fine-tuning.

Schlittler was taken deep on a slider by first-time All-Star Junior Caminero for a two-run blast to left in the opening inning.

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The damage could have been worse for Schlittler with two additional runners aboard later in the 31-pitch frame, but Tristan Gray’s scorched liner was hauled in by Cody Bellinger in right for the third out.

The Yankees recouped both runs in the bottom half on three singles against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen and bases-loaded walks to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Ryan McMahon for a 2-2 knot.

Schlittler maintained the tie until the fifth, when Josh Lowe put the Rays back ahead with a one-out RBI single to center.

Lefty Brent Headrick was summoned to replace Schlittler and he stranded two inherited runners with strikeouts of Jake Mangum and pinch hitter José Caballero to keep the Yanks within one.

Rasmussen retired 12 straight batters bridging the first and fifth innings until Jasson Domínguez reached on a two-out single.

The Rays added another run in the eighth on a sacrifice fly by Yandy Díaz against Tim Hill, with the run charged to Luke Weaver.

Recently acquired Amed Rosario ripped a one-out single as a pinch hitter in the eighth, but the Yankees were unable to pull any closer.