Yankees' Schlittler Faces Minor Back Inflammation in Camp

As spring training opened in Tampa, Florida, the New York Yankees confronted ongoing concerns about their starting rotation's depth for the 2026 Major League Baseball season, with a new injury scare emerging for promising right-hander Cam Schlittler on February 12.

Schlittler, a 25-year-old breakout performer from the previous year, is dealing with minor inflammation in his midback and possibly his latissimus dorsi muscle. Yankees manager Aaron Boone announced the issue after the team's first workout, stating that the pitcher would continue his throwing program on flat ground but remain off the mound for at least a few days. "He has felt a little tweak here and there," Boone told reporters, adding that recent tests on Schlittler's back returned positive results. "We're just trying to stay ahead of it and make sure we don't turn this into something else."

Schlittler, who downplayed the severity, echoed the cautious approach. "Zero concern, I'd say," he said at Steinbrenner Field. "It's very minor. I've been dealing with it for a little bit, so I just want to make sure I'm on top of it and ready for Opening Day and that week in San Francisco." He expressed hope to resume mound...