First, the obvious: No one was happy with Alex Cora in the sixth inning of Friday night’s mega-matchup between Red Sox phenom pitcher Payton Tolle and young Pirates ace Paul Skenes, a game that Tolle left after getting an out and allowing back-to-back singles. Tolle threw 84 pitches, struck out eight (allowing three hits and two walks) and electrified the Fenway faithful.
But he left with a 2-0 lead that turned into a 4-2 loss thanks in large part to Greg Weissert, who took the loss after allowing Tolle’s two runners to score then giving up one of his own.
While that was the end result, there was a sense that Friday was a big night for the Red Sox as an organization, that they’ve found themselves a star in Tolle. Certainly, they’ve found themselves an endearing young pitcher who figures to stick in the rotation down the stretch of the season.
Payton Tolle’s Mom: ‘You’re Still a Hack’
That was clear after the game when Tolle was asked about his reaction when he saw Cora coming to the mound to take him out in the sixth. First, Tolle thanked his infield, then he looked for his dad.
Then he thought about what appears to be a rather tough-minded mother.
“He came out and I turned to the guys in the infield and said, ‘I think you guys are really, really cool.’ Just the rush of it,” Tolle said, “and trying to look up and trying to find my dad. And then on the other side of that, looking up and hearing my mom saying, ‘You’re still a hack.’
“So, very pleased with it and kinda came off the field with, I gave it everything I got, competed, and had fun and that’s the bottom line.”
Red Sox Loss Sours Debut
Again, the loss ruined the vibe of the night, especially with the Yankees winning and moving ahead of the Red Sox in the AL East standings. And Cora was, as always, pilloried on social media, where every team’s fan base is certain it has the game’s worst manager.
But it’s important to remember that, a little more than a year ago, Tolle was pitching in college at TCU and has thrown more than the 84 pitches he had on Friday just once in the minors all season (90 pitches back in June at High A).
Big Moment for Red Sox Organization
Fact is, however Cora is viewed in this, he knows that Tolle’s debut could be a harbinger of things to come.
“Electric,” Cora said. “He competes, that’s the first thing. He enjoys the game, and then on the mound, that was impressive. The command was good and he did an outstanding job for us.”
For an organization that has struggled to draft and develop pitchers, Tolle’s debut has a bigger-picture implication, too. Remember, this team drafted Tolle in the second round last year and, in the past two MLB drafts, has used 29 of its 41 picks on pitchers. The hope is that Tolle is the first of a handful to pan out.
“I think people are gonna like him in this town,” Cora said. “Pretty polite kid for everything I hear, so he’s gonna be good with you guys, accountable. So it was a great night for us. It just sucked that we didn’t win, but the overall picture – that was a step forward for the organization.”
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