It is Tolle Time in Boston

The vibes couldn’t be more immaculate if you are a Red Sox fan. The team just went 7-1 on an eight game road trip and now sits 15 games above .500 for the first time since 2021. They keep furthering the gap for their playoff push and are returning from to a rowdy Fenway Faithful. As if the vibes couldn’t be higher, the Red Sox are calling up their top pitching prospect in Payton Tolle. The pig pen is growing in size.

It’s Tolle Time in Boston

WooSox Photo/Ashley Green / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

I am calling it the pig pen. The nickname for current Ace of the Red Sox Garrett Crochet is “the pig”. Broadcaster Lou Merloni gets all the credit for that one and he’s even gone on to call Tolle “piglet”. So now, the Red Sox have the pig pen. It’s quite beautiful actually.

The Red Sox have done something that other teams have managed to do. We’ve seen the Mets bring up Nolan McLean, who has a 0.89 ERA and a 0.69 WHIP in three starts with the Mets. In addition, they’ve called up Jonah Tong, who has a 1.43 ERA across the minor leagues this season and has amassed 179 strikeouts in 113 innings pitched. Huge boost for their playoff push. The Red Sox are taking a page out of that playbook and bringing up their top pitching prospect. It’s officially Tolle time in Boston.

The Texas Christian University standout has been a force for the Worcester Red Sox. He’s not only earned this call up, but deserves this spotlight as well. He has shined brightly in his first professional season with the club.

Across all minor league systems for the Red Sox, Tolle has a 3.04 ERA and a 0.99 WHIP. Beautiful. His overall average against sits at .201, but in both Double-A and Triple-A, it never got above .200. This is a pitcher who has managed to progress heavily in the systems and fast tracked through the minors. To put that into perspective, he made just three starts in Worcester. He’s ready.

There are alot of great things he does that the Red Sox will love. He has impeccable command and his BB/9 significantly decreased as he made his way up the ranks. Overall, he has a 6.3% BB% and through three starts in Worcester, it was 3.4%. Beautiful. In addition to the low walks, he is a strikeout machine.

Across the minor league systems, Tolle has had a K/9 above 10.00. He made the bulk of his starts in Double-A, and saw his K/9 sit at 12.33. It was 10.20 in Worcester, which is phenomenal in three starts.

Overall, Tolle ranks in the 95th percentile for walk rate, 74th for strikeout rate, excels in not getting hit hard and can get betters to whiff. He’s the perfect fit for this rotation and this pitching coaching staff covets the swing and miss. He brings nice arsenal to the table as well. Tolle throws his four seamer the most (49.5%), while mixing in his cutter and slider. By Stuff+, the four seamer grades out at 112, but his changeup and curveball grade out the best. His slider has been untouchable, having an 0.63 average against and a 33% whiff rate. His fastball averages 95.5 MPH and doesn’t get knocked around much at all.

The best part is that Prospect Savant has given him a PS Score of 99, which further showcases his true value. And he has value, and the fans will get to see that value on full display Friday night.

Tolle will get to make his debut in the beautiful city connect green jerseys. The Red Sox have yet to lose in those games. Also, he gets to go toe to toe with arguably the best pitcher in baseball and NL CY Young favorite in Paul Skenes. Talk about baseball cinema.

It’s amazing. The Red Sox are adding a pitcher to what’s been a top five rotation in baseball since June 1. Between Brayan Bello, Garrett Crochet, and Lucas Giolito, all three have had an ERA below 3.00 in that span. Now it’s adding Tolle to the mix. It gives the Red Sox a more dynamic pitcher on the back end of their rotation and a guy that can throw strikes.

The pig pen is growing and it’s a day to celebrate.