In a season defined by gaudy offensive numbers, the most compelling argument for American League MVP might belong to a pitcher. Cam Schlittler, the Yankees’ 26-year-old right-hander, has compiled a 1.95 ERA across 31 starts, the best qualified mark in the AL. His 7.1 WAR leads the league, according to FanGraphs. Yet his candidacy faces a familiar hurdle: no pitcher has won MVP since Clayton Kershaw in 2014.
Schlittler’s season is not merely good by contemporary standards. It is historically excellent. His 216 ERA+ — which adjusts for ballpark and league context — dwarfs Kershaw’s 197 during that 2014 MVP campaign. He has made more starts (31) than Kershaw did (27) that year. And his 1.95 ERA is the lowest by a qualified Yankees starter since Ron Guidry’s 1.74 in 1978; the only more recent sub-2.00 mark in franchise history belongs to Spud Chandler, who posted a 1.64 ERA in 1943.
Chandler won MVP that season. Guidry finished second. The historical parallels are tempting, but they also underscore the difficulty: pitchers have won the award just twice in the last eight decades, and the electorate has grown increasingly reluctant to reward them.
The Case for Schlittler
Schlittler’s dominance extends beyond ERA. He leads the AL in WAR, a comprehensive metric that values his contributions relative to a replacement-level player. His 1.95 ERA edges out NL Cy Young frontrunner Jacob Misiorowski, who also sits at 1.95 — a tie made possible by the rounding of the ERA formula. In a year when the AL Cy Young race has been considered over for weeks — ESPN’s award tracker no longer even lists odds for it — Schlittler’s MVP case rests on a simple premise: he has been the most valuable player in the league, regardless of position.
His recent form supports that argument. On Sept. 13 against the Mets, he tossed six innings of one-hit ball, striking out eight. The Yankees clinched a playoff berth Monday night, removing any team-level stakes from the final two weeks. Schlittler is scheduled to start Sept. 19 at Arizona and Sept. 24 against the Rays. Two more strong outings could cement his statistical case.
The Competition: A Crowded Field
The AL MVP race has narrowed to five names, and each brings a distinct profile. Yordan Alvarez of the Astros remains the favorite according to ESPN. He leads MLB in on-base percentage (.427) and slugging (.589), and leads the AL in batting average (.310). His 38 home runs are tied for second with Ben Rice, behind Junior Caminero’s 40. Alvarez also has 96 RBI, second to Pete Alonso’s 100. But a recent slump has complicated his triple crown pursuit: from Aug. 15 to Sept. 15, he slashed .238/.375/.393 with just two home runs and eight RBI. With 12 games remaining, a triple crown — which would likely decide the MVP — now appears a long shot.
Junior Caminero of the Rays has bashed 40 home runs, becoming the first player since 2025 to reach that mark in consecutive seasons. But his .279 batting average and negative defensive and baserunning contributions, per Baseball Savant, limit his overall value. His 5.3 WAR trails Schlittler, Alvarez, and two others. Without a compelling narrative — the Rays are not in playoff position — his case rests almost entirely on power.
Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals is the quintessential five-tool player, but his 2026 season has been a down year by his standards. He is hitting .280 with 18 home runs, and he does not lead the league in batting, stolen bases, or hits. He missed about two weeks in late July, and his Royals sit in fifth place. His 6.3 WAR is strong, but the lack of team success and his own diminished production relative to past seasons weaken his candidacy.
Kevin McGonigle of the Tigers has been a revelation as a rookie, splitting time at shortstop and third base while posting a .273/.373/.425 slash line. His 6.6 WAR leads all position players, and his 88 walks against 89 strikeouts suggest a mature approach. But he does not lead any statistical category, and rookie MVP winners are exceedingly rare: only two have ever won, and none since Ichiro Suzuki in 2001. McGonigle’s case is built on all-around excellence, but the historical barrier is significant.
Judge and Boone Weigh In
Within the Yankees’ clubhouse, the debate is nuanced. Manager Aaron Boone has endorsed Schlittler for MVP, acknowledging his ace’s unique value. But Aaron Judge, a three-time MVP himself, draws a distinction. He has said the Cy Young Award is for the best pitcher and has given Schlittler his Cy Young vote, but he has not endorsed him for MVP. That split reflects a broader baseball orthodoxy: pitchers have their own award, and MVP voters tend to favor everyday players.
The last pitcher to win MVP was Kershaw in 2014, and before him, it was Justin Verlander in 2011. The game has changed. Starters throw fewer innings, and their impact is perceived as less pervasive. Schlittler’s 31 starts are impressive, but he still influences only about 20% of his team’s games. Alvarez, by contrast, plays nearly every day.
The Final Two Weeks
With the Yankees’ playoff berth secured, the final two weeks carry little team significance. But for Schlittler’s MVP hopes, they matter enormously. Voters often weigh September performance heavily, and a pair of dominant starts could sway undecided ballots. Conversely, a rough outing could reinforce the narrative that pitchers don’t belong in the MVP conversation.
Schlittler’s candidacy is also aided by the absence of a clear frontrunner. Alvarez’s slump has opened the door. Caminero’s flaws are evident. Witt Jr.’s team is out of contention. McGonigle’s rookie status is a hurdle. In a year without a dominant position player, a historically great pitcher might just break through.
Whether voters will look past a century of precedent remains uncertain. But if they do, Cam Schlittler has built a case that is statistically overwhelming and historically resonant. His 1.95 ERA and 7.1 WAR are not just the best in the AL — they are among the best in Yankees history. In a race defined by flaws and questions, that might be enough.
