It is hard to complain about the Red Sox‘s starting pitching on the heels of Friday’s brilliant 1-0 win over the Yankees, with 7.0 scoreless innings hurled by Brayan Bello, who is now 10-6 with a 3.07 ERA, and has had the kind of season Boston fans only could have hoped for back on Opening Day. While Bello was spinning his gem, though, another dominant mound showing was happening in the Red Sox organization, courtesy of lefty Payton Tolle.
On Friday in Worcester, Tolle threw 63 pitches over 5.0 innings, allowing one hit and one run, with no walks and nine strikeouts. The Woo Sox lost, 9-3, thanks to the bullpen, but Tolle was brilliant.
The Red Sox’s 2024 second-rounder has had a brilliant season, and in a week in which veteran Walker Buehler has been moved to the bullpen, Tolle’s dominance could be well-timed. His fastball averaged 96.5 mph, and he is showing the kind of swing-and-miss stuff that could translate to a Boston call-up in the coming weeks.
Red Sox Bumping Walker Buehler
The Red Sox will need a replacement for Buehler in the rotation, and they took a double whammy this week when Cooper Criswell–perhaps the top potential replacement for Buehler–was injured, with a worrying elbow problem. The Red Sox have two other starters with big-league starts under their belt this season, Richard Fitts and Kyle Harrison.
Fitts last pitched on August 15, and Harrison on August 19, so either would be ready on Monday. Fitts has already been called up to Boston with the idea of pitching him in relief, but simply swapping roles with Buehler would be the easiest solution.
But the bigger question is whether the Red Sox would use either of their top prospects, Tolle or fellow lefty Connelly Early, as the eventual replacement for Buehler in September.
Red Sox on Promotion: ‘Give It a Shot’
Tolle is only 22, but at 6-foot-7 and more than 250 pounds, he is a massive guy and an imposing mound presence. He is the No. 2 prospect in the Red Sox organization, per MLB Pipeline.
And a call-up is very much on the table, as CBO Craig Breslow said.
“When there is a guy with these unique traits and what we think should be weapons that will translate into the big leagues, then you start to look at the variables that are introduced by changing the environment, the crowd, the stadium,” Breslow told the Globe. “By all accounts, he is a kid that kind of elevates his game. We don’t anticipate that the stage is too big for him. So, if we think he’s ready, we wouldn’t hesitate to give it a shot.”
Payton Tolle on Quick Ascension: ‘Bit of a Shock’
As for Tolle himself, he is surprised by the speed with which he has moved through the organization. A year ago, he pitched at TCU and did not go again after the draft. He began the year with 10 starts in high-A, made five starts in Double A and has been in Worcester since.
“I think it was first a little bit of a shock, like, ‘Wow, this is moving quick,’ ” he told the Globe.
A lot of stops for a young player. And next stop … Kenmore?
Red Sox Open to Payton Tolle Call-Up After Dominant Performance