With the Boston Red Sox in the middle of a heated division race in the AL East with the Toronto Blue Jays and New York Yankees, they will be needing all hands on deck to keep in step with their peers. But on Friday, they had to call upon rookie Payton Tolle to start against the Pittsburgh Pirates opposite ace and likely Cy Young award winner Paul Skenes. In the end, Skenes and the Pirates won, 4-2, although that wasn't due to any fault of Tolle's.
Tolle, in his big-league debut, threw 5.1 rock solid innings, striking out eight and allowing just two runs on three hits and two walks. While the Pirates didn't necessarily provide the best competition, the Red Sox rookie displayed incredible stuff and composure. Moreover, he was a bundle of joy, with his jovial personality shining through