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Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said Monday that Tolle will start Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series against the Yankees on Tuesday, Sean McAdam of MassLive.com reports.
The Yankees have a left-handed-hitting heavy lineup, so the Red Sox will hand the ball to southpaw Tolle in the first game rather than righty Sonny Gray. It will be Gray starting Game 2, and Ranger Suarez will be lined up for a potential Game 3. Tolle -- who will square off against Cam Schlittler -- logged a 3.03 ERA and 171:40 K:BB over 148.2 innings covering 26 starts during the regular season.
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: No-decision in final regular-season start
Rotowire
Tolle did not factor into the decision Tuesday against the Guardians, allowing two runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five across 5.2 innings.
In what will be Tolle's final start of the regular season, the hard-throwing southpaw ended up tossing 91 pitches (63 strikes) and generating 10 whiffs while falling one out short from a quality start. The eight hits allowed were one short of a season worst, though he extended his streak of five-plus strikeouts to six. Tolle didn't initially make the Red Sox's 26-man roster at the end of spring training but was quickly promoted from Triple-A Worcester in late April and stayed with the big club from there. He'll end the regular season with a 9-6 record over 26 starts with a 3.03 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 171:40 K:BB over 148.2 innings. Tolle appears in line to start in Game 1 of the American League Wild Card Series, which is currently slated for next week on the road against the Yankees.
Tolle no longer appears in line for a start this weekend in Tampa Bay, as the Red Sox are listing Patrick Sandoval as their probable starter for Sunday's game.
As Rob Bradford of WEEI.com points out, Boston appears to be lining Tolle up to start Game 1 of the AL Wild Card Series. It's a tough blow for Tolle's fantasy managers, as they will take a zero from the lefty this week. He struck out seven over six scoreless innings against Kansas City in his last start Sept. 13, lowering his ERA to 3.02 over 143 innings this season.
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Dominates Royals on Sunday
Rotowire
Tolle took a no-decision Sunday against the Royals, allowing four hits and one walk in six scoreless innings. He struck out seven.
Tolle showed no ill effects of Sunday's first pitch being delayed nearly two hours due to rain, scattering four singles across six shutout frames. The left-hander has pitched at least 5.1 innings while yielding two runs or fewer in six of his last eight starts, and he notably fired an immaculate inning to open Sunday's outing. He's set to bring a 3.02 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and 166:38 K:BB over 143 innings into his next appearance against the Rays in pitcher-friendly Tampa Bay.
Tolle (9-6) earned the win against the Orioles on Sunday, allowing one run on four hits and no walks with 12 strikeouts over six innings.
Tolle yielded a run in the first inning and then dominated, throwing 70 of 91 pitches for strikes with 17 whiffs. The rookie southpaw tallied his third double-digit strikeout performance of the campaign, and he's now completed at least five frames in each of his nine second-half outings while recording four quality starts. He'll carry a 3.15 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 159:37 K:BB across 137 innings this season into a home matchup with the Royals next weekend.
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Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Punches out six in shaky start
Rotowire
Tolle took a no-decision against the Mariners on Monday, allowing four runs on six hits and two walks in 5.2 innings. He struck out six.
Tolle had a hard time with hard contact Monday, giving up three extra-base hits on the evening in a rough outing. He surrendered more than three runs for the first time since July 20 versus the Orioles, but he's now pitched at least five innings in eight consecutive starts. The left-hander will try to rebound his next time out in Baltimore, still holding a strong 3.23 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 147:37 K:BB over 131 innings on the campaign.
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Fans seven in Tuesday's no-decision
Rotowire
Tolle didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 7-3 extra-innings win over the Marlins, allowing two runs on four hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out seven.
The 23-year-old southpaw fired 62 of 97 pitches for strikes while extending his streak of starts without being stuck with a loss to nine. Over that stretch, Tolle has produced a 4-0 record with a 2.65 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and 67:12 K:BB through 51 innings as he continues to emerge as a top-line starter for Boston. Tolle will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home early next week against the Mariners.
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Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Strikes out six in no-decision
Rotowire
Tolle did not factor into the decision Wednesday against the Diamondbacks, allowing three runs on six hits and two walks over five innings. He struck out six.
Tolle was sharp early, as he held Arizona scoreless through his first four innings. However, things would unravel for the left-hander in the fifth, when the D-Backs rallied for three runs on three doubles. It's the first time in five starts that Tolle's allowed more than two runs -- he posted a 1.78 ERA across 25.1 innings in his previous four outings. Overall, Tolle is 8-6 with a 3.08 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and 134:33 K:BB across 21 starts (120 innings) this season. He's currently lined up to face the Marlins on the road his next time out.
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Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Spins eight sterling innings
Rotowire
Tolle (8-6) earned the win against the Blue Jays on Thursday, allowing no runs on two hits and two walks in eight innings. He struck out four.
Tolle was magnificent, scattering two singles across eight shutout innings. The southpaw fell short of what could've been his first career shutout -- he threw 91 pitches Thursday -- but he was still able to match his longest outing of the campaign and fired at least six innings while yielding two runs or fewer in a third consecutive outing. Tolle will try to keep the good times going when he brings an excellent 2.97 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 128:31 K:BB over 115 innings into his next scheduled start against Arizona.
Red Sox's Payton Tolle: Fans 14 in Friday's blowout win
Rotowire
Tolle (7-6) earned the win against the Athletics on Friday, allowing one run on two hits while striking out 14 across six innings while not issuing a walk.
Tolle had a perfect game going through four innings, during which he struck out the side in both the second and fourth frames. That effort ended in the fifth by a leadoff home run by Tyler Soderstrom, but Tolle responded by striking out the next two batters he faced before fanning three more batters in the sixth. The 23-year-old induced a ridiculous 24 whiffs on just 84 pitches (61 strikes), and he probably could have stayed in the game for at least one more inning if the Red Sox needed him to. His 14 punchouts surpassed his previous career high of 11 that he had in his 2026 debut against the Yankees on April 23. Tolle has recorded quality starts in back-to-back outings, and he'll take a 3.20 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 107 innings into his next start, which is lined up for next week against the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre in Toronto.
