Second in the American League East and looking to kick on with the postseason around the corner, the Boston Red Sox called up star pitching prospect Payton Tolle today, to make his debut against one of baseball’s best in the form of the Pittsburgh Pirates All-Star, Paul Skenes.
Ultimately, across 5.1 innings, Tolle would give up only two runs on three hits and two walks, with eight strikeouts. It was a very solid debut, and although Greg Weissert would give up two hits and a run in completing the sixth inning to result in Tolle leaving with a no-decision, the Fenway Park crowd was appreciative.
Very appreciative, in fact. And nor did they wait for any curtain calls to show it. It took just one inning – a 1-2-3 inning, no less, with two strikeouts – for the Red Sox faithful to give Tolle a standing ovation. That is, if they had ever even sat down.
Exciting Prospect With Both Stuff And Vibes
Another ovation would follow four innings later as Tolle was pulled from the game. The excitement around Tolle – not just in his debut, but in general – is palpable. And it comes from somewhere real.
Climbing the minor ranks at an astronomical pace, Tolle went from High-A, to Double-A, to Triple-A to the majors in just one season of professional baseball. The 50th pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Tolle stormed through the levels that are supposed to take years to climb, combining for a 3.04 ERA with 133 strikeouts over 91.2 across the three.
By way of comparison, the Red Sox’s great rival, the New York Yankees, currently have a young arm in their rotation in the form of Cam Schlittler, who is impressing as a major league starter within a year of being in High A-ball. His rise has been exceptionally fast. But Tolle’s is faster.
In addition to the numbers are the pitches behind them. Tolle’s stuff includes a lively fastball from an unusual release point on the left side, along with a decent slider and plenty of control. He has the combination of the three-pitch mix, size, presence and mentality of a Major League starter; the tangible excitement comes with supporting evidence behind it.
And in addition to all that, Tolle also has some relatable quirkiness. In an increasingly sanitized professional sports world, he stands out for his eye-catching presence. From the chunkiness to the moustache, the spirit of the 1970s is alive in Tolle, who already has the memes ready to go.
Red Sox Made Brave Call
To create room for Tolle on the roster, the Red Sox released the man who had once clinched a World Series victory for the Los Angeles Dodgers, Walker Buehler. Despite signed him to a one-year, $21.05 million contract as recently as December, Buehler posted only a 5.45 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and 84:55 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 112.1 innings; far from being the ace of the rotation, he was the weak point.
With Tanner Houck, Richard Fitts and Hunter Dobbins all on the injured list – and with Dobbins and Houck out for the long term – there were vacancies to fill, even before the Buehler decision. As things stand, then, the Red Sox aim to close out the season with a rotation of Garret Crochet, Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, Dustin May – and, it would appear, Tolle.
Two months ago, on June 28, Tolle took the mound on his debut for the Double-A Portland Sea Dogs, pitching five innings of one-run baseball in a game against the amazingly-named Binghamton Rumble Ponies. Today, he debuted at the major league level against Paul Skenes. And far from being overmatched, the 22-year-old held his own, pitching with the savvy of a ten-year veteran. Long live the new Tom Selleck.
Like Heavy Sports’s content? Be sure to follow us.
This article was originally published on Heavy Sports
The post Payton Tolle Earns Standing Ovation After Just One Inning appeared first on Heavy Sports.