Payton Tolle will start Game 1 for Red Sox in series against Yankees
Red Sox face Yankees with rookie Payton Tolle on the mound in AL wild‑card opener
The Boston Red Sox will send 23‑year‑old left‑hander Payton Tolle to the plate in the first game of the American League wild‑card series against the New York Yankees. Tolle, who finished the regular season with a 9‑6 record, a 3.03 earned run average, 171 strikeouts in 26 starts, and 148 ⅔ innings, will go up against Yankees ace Cam Schlittler, who posted a 14‑6 record, 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts in his first full season.
Tolle’s season had the hallmark of the young pitcher’s laid‑back attitude. “I’ve tried trying to be super locked in. It just doesn’t work for me. I end up putting too much pressure on myself,” he said on Monday. “I just have found that the way that I work the best is trying to be comfortable and trying to smile as much as I can out there.” The statement came after a spring‑training presentation that had Tolle revealing his own brand of humor—he had shaved the letters “U‑S‑A” into his chest hair and even ripped off his shirt to show off the design to teammates.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said Tolle’s personality is an asset. “I know he’s a rookie, but as far as the way he approaches baseball and big moments, that part won’t bother him. He’s a pretty special personality that’s been through a lot and doesn’t take things too seriously that don’t need to be taken that seriously,” Tracy explained.
Tolle’s work‑horse numbers also hint at his competitiveness. In two postseason outings against the Yankees last year, he held the team to a .093 batting average and a 0.69 ERA, striking out 18 over 13 innings while walking only three. He also gave up just four hits in those appearances.
Facing him on the other side of the plate is Cam Schlittler, the 25‑year‑old left‑hander who led the majors with a 1.95 ERA. The Yankees’ starting rotation will also feature Max Fried in Game 2 and Gerrit Cole in the event of a third game. Schlittler has already pitched four times against Boston this season, allowing a .174 batting average and a 0.74 ERA in 24 ⅓ innings, while striking out 27 and walking nine. In last year’s wild‑card Game 3, he fanned 12 batters over eight innings and delivered 11 pitches 100 mph or faster, six of which were in the first inning.
When asked about the online abuse he has received ahead of his matchups with the Red Sox, Schlittler shrugged. “I wouldn’t say I’m always on my phone looking for that stuff. At the same time, I don’t really live under a rock. I’ve found ways to use that to my advantage. I think I’m good at keeping receipts. At the end of the day, I’m locked into going in there tomorrow and doing my job,” he said.
Both pitchers throw the same trio of fastballs—four‑seamers, cutters and two‑seam sinkers. Schlittler’s 3,044 pitches this season were 89.2 % four‑seamers or cutters; Tolle’s were 87.7 %. When the Yankees’ star pitcher spoke about Tolle, he added, “Tolle, he’s been amazing. Rookie year, it’s been incredible to watch. It’s fun to see someone else use the three variations of the fastball. I think when you look at a Game 1 matchup between Boston and New York, that’s what the fans want to see.”
Red Sox will also have Sonny Gray and Ranger Suárez next in the rotation if the series extends beyond Game 1. The Yankees will follow with Max Fried for Game 2 and Gerrit Cole if the series goes to a deciding contest.
The opening game is scheduled for Tuesday night, and it will be a test of Tolle’s rookie poise against the seasoned dominance of Schlittler—an intriguing matchup that sets the tone for the rest of the two‑game series.
