When discussing the New York Yankees pitching staff, two names come to mind. Those two names were mentioned in high regard by the MLB Network. Cam Schlittler and Max Fried were identified and ranked as the top 1-2 pitching duo in all of the league.
Top 1-2 Pitching Duos Across the League
Coming in at the five-spot is the big man, Paul Skenes, and Braxton Ashcraft of the Pittsburgh Pirates. In the four-spot are Tarik Skubal and Framber Valdez of the Detroit Tigers, while the three-spot is Cristopher Sánchez and Zack Wheeler of the Philadelphia Phillies. The two spots are no other than Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Schlittler and Fred take number one, doing the baseball God’s work within the Yankees rotation.
1-2 duos are extremely valuable in a rotation, providing two different looks from two dominant pitchers, giving strong back-to-back chances of getting a win in any series. We look at past-time greats: Andy Pettite and Mike Mussina, Roger Clemens and Mussina. Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodón of more recent times. Around the league, we’ve also seen Pedro Martínez and Curt Schilling, or the Dodgers’ Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. These are all names that contributed to their club’s success, whether in a postseason chase or in a World Series. Maybe their duos were a part of a franchise legacy.
Either way, Schlittler and Fried play a strong and important role for the 2026 Yankees as they push to reclaim the American League East. How are they faring so far in the regular season?
DeRo's top 1-2 starting pitcher duos right now:
1. Fried & Schlittler (NYY)
2. Yamamoto & Ohtani (LAD)
3. Sánchez & Wheeler (PHI)
4. Skubal & Valdez (DET)
5. Skenes & Ashcraft (PIT) pic.twitter.com/P2at9XSQl5— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 28, 2026
Schlittler and Fried Take the Spotlight on the Mound
The Yankees did not make any extravagant acquisitions in this past off-season. The most exciting thing to come was to watch the development and transitions from Schlittler. The RHP brings light to the future of Yankees pitching.
Schlittler has already dressed himself with the cloth of “elite” and is quickly becoming a dependable and reliable option. His numbers strongly dictate him being “go-to” guy in big game situations, as we saw in the 2025 postseason.
The Yankees prodigy is currently dining with a 4-1 record in the league, sporting a 1.7 WAR which labels him providing depth to the team. He’s been up to as high as a 2.0 WAR. Schlittler currently holds a 1.51 ERA in a league-leading seven games started.
He’s thrown 41 and 2 / 3 innings with 156 batters faced, striking out 49 batters, only walking six. The strikeout machine commands his game very well, and is extremely dominant. Schlittler will continue to be a huge contributor to the success of the 2026 Yankees.
Fried Leading the Yankees Rotation
Fried is the leader of this powerful battery-pack of pitchers. The veteran has been stellar in Cole’s absence. The left-hander currently holds a 1.9 WAR and also holds a 4-1 record.
Similar to Schlittler, Fried also has a league leading seven games started with 47 and 1 / 3 innings of work. He’s struck out 37 batters, walking 12; his dominance is still intact, armed by a good repertoire.
Fried is set up for another phenomenal season in the Bronx. Last season he was a real factor in any success that the Yankees had. His all-star year brought him to a 4.5 WAR. Between Schlittler and Fried, they’re both on pace for 35-36 wins. They truly are one of the top duos in the MLB and will continue to be for some time.
Main Photo Credit: Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images
