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WORCESTER — The carrot stopped dangling in front of Payton Tolle.
After spending the past five days in limbo with Triple-A Worcester, the Boston Red Sox will reportedly call up Tolle for its series finale with the New York Yankees Thursday at Fenway Park. Chris Cotillo of MassLive was first to report the news.
“It’s what I want to do,” Tolle told the T&G following the WooSox’ game Wednesday at Polar Park. “It’s what I’ve wanted to do ever since they drafted me, and I think pitching at Fenway Park is something I’ve wanted to do since I was 12 years old. So, it would mean a lot.”
While Boston’s top-ranked prospect waited on standby with the WooSox this past week, in case the Red Sox needed to add some pitching help from the minors, Tolle was itching to return to the mound. Now, he’ll most likely scratch that itch Thursday in Boston against the Red Sox’ longtime rival.
“It’s more of a hunger I think now than ever,” Tolle recently told the T&G on Cassell’s Corner podcast. “I want to get back. Here we go with the (food) references (but when) you eat a good steak you don’t think, ‘Man, that was a good steak’ and then never go back to get that steak. You go back and eat that steak at some point.
“So, wanting to get back (to Boston) is the biggest goal right now.”
After having a cup of coffee with Boston (7 appearances, 3 starts, 0-1 record and 6.06 ERA across 16.1 innings) last year during his meteoric rise through the Red Sox’ farm system, Tolle found himself back in AAA to begin 2026.
The 23-year-old left-handed pitcher has allowed 12 hits, 8 runs (5 earned) and 4 walks across 15 innings and 3 starts with the WooSox so far this spring. He’s struck out 19 batters and recorded a 3.00 ERA while working heavily on his changeup and curveball to pair with his “three-headed monster” repertoire of a fastball, cutter and sinker.
“When he’s landing his off-speed (pitches) for strikes and then running 98 (miles per hour) with that big extension in on lefties and running (it in), he’s very difficult to deal with,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said. “… If he’s getting all of his arsenal in the strike zone, he’s tough to deal with.”
Tolle was originally slated to start for Worcester on April 11 and April 12 in Nashville, but was scratched both days as part of a contingency plan for the Red Sox in case they needed additional arms in Boston.
Then, on Monday, Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray left his start with a right hamstring strain and landed on the 15-day injured list a day later.
While Worcester began a six-game homestand at Polar Park Tuesday, the Triple-A club opted not to list Tolle in their pitching probables. Tracy said his burly left-hander was left in “limbo” and that there was “a pretty good likelihood” that Tolle would go up to Boston soon.
“Whenever he’s called upon, he’ll be ready to go,” the WooSox manager said.
That time came Wednesday.
The carrot no longer dangles in front of the face of the southpaw with a stocky mustache.
“Like the donut hanging in front of you like you’re Homer Simpson,” Tolle said.
Payton Tolle started growing his now infamous mustache when he was playing for High-A Greenville last year.
What originally started out as a joke — and was followed up with a few botched dye jobs — turned into a staple on his upper lip. The mustache checked off another box on the personality bingo card for Tolle.
“It is artificially enhanced, but it’s not a sloppy job either — it’s down to a science,” Tolle said on Cassell’s Corner podcast. “I know about every two Mondays it should be dyed and now we know where to be with it.
“People have taken to it.”
When Tolle took his big-league mustache to Fenway Park for his Major League debut last August, Tolle said he heard his mother “somewhere out there” in the crowd during the Red Sox’ game against the Pirates.
Tolle’s mom, Jina, died on May 9, 2024, following a lengthy battled with colon cancer. She passed away just two months before Boston selected Tolle with the No. 50 overall pick in the MLB Draft.
“She was just a rock for me. She was there every single time,” Tolle said. “… She always had the best advice. She was my best friend.”
When Tolle pitches this season, the Oklahoma native wears a black baseball glove on his right hand with the words ‘You’re so pretty’ inscribed on it. The quote comes from his mom, who used to say those three words to her oldest son before all his baseball, basketball and football games.
“(I) pick sayings from her that kind of remind me of her because she’s always there and watching over me, and it’s been fun,” Tolle said on Cassell’s Corner podcast. “I got a few more quotes.”
The past few years have been described as a “whirlwind” by Payton Tolle.
From pitching in college (TCU) in 2024 to pitching in the pros (Boston) in 2025, the Red Sox’ No. 1 prospect has developed quite the reputation — both on and off the mound.
“It’s just fun to be around him, and I think it rubs off on everybody else,” Tracy said. “And I think that’s why everybody else loves him so much.”
And after spending nearly a week waiting in limbo with the WooSox, Tolle appears to be on the move to the big leagues. He’ll join the Red Sox in time for their final game of a series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.
It’s Tolle Time in Boston, again.
“We know what the goal is like,” Tolle said. “We know what it feels like, we know what it looks like, we know what it tastes like, we know that feeling of getting on the mound in front of 30,000 people. So now it’s just ‘What can I do to, where, whenever I get up there again, how can I stay?’”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Payton Tolle will reportedly be called up to join the Boston Red Sox
Continue reading...
After spending the past five days in limbo with Triple-A Worcester, the Boston Red Sox will reportedly call up Tolle for its series finale with the New York Yankees Thursday at Fenway Park. Chris Cotillo of MassLive was first to report the news.
“It’s what I want to do,” Tolle told the T&G following the WooSox’ game Wednesday at Polar Park. “It’s what I’ve wanted to do ever since they drafted me, and I think pitching at Fenway Park is something I’ve wanted to do since I was 12 years old. So, it would mean a lot.”
While Boston’s top-ranked prospect waited on standby with the WooSox this past week, in case the Red Sox needed to add some pitching help from the minors, Tolle was itching to return to the mound. Now, he’ll most likely scratch that itch Thursday in Boston against the Red Sox’ longtime rival.
“It’s more of a hunger I think now than ever,” Tolle recently told the T&G on Cassell’s Corner podcast. “I want to get back. Here we go with the (food) references (but when) you eat a good steak you don’t think, ‘Man, that was a good steak’ and then never go back to get that steak. You go back and eat that steak at some point.
“So, wanting to get back (to Boston) is the biggest goal right now.”
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Waiting in the wings
After having a cup of coffee with Boston (7 appearances, 3 starts, 0-1 record and 6.06 ERA across 16.1 innings) last year during his meteoric rise through the Red Sox’ farm system, Tolle found himself back in AAA to begin 2026.
The 23-year-old left-handed pitcher has allowed 12 hits, 8 runs (5 earned) and 4 walks across 15 innings and 3 starts with the WooSox so far this spring. He’s struck out 19 batters and recorded a 3.00 ERA while working heavily on his changeup and curveball to pair with his “three-headed monster” repertoire of a fastball, cutter and sinker.
“When he’s landing his off-speed (pitches) for strikes and then running 98 (miles per hour) with that big extension in on lefties and running (it in), he’s very difficult to deal with,” WooSox manager Chad Tracy said. “… If he’s getting all of his arsenal in the strike zone, he’s tough to deal with.”
You must be registered for see images attach
Tolle was originally slated to start for Worcester on April 11 and April 12 in Nashville, but was scratched both days as part of a contingency plan for the Red Sox in case they needed additional arms in Boston.
Then, on Monday, Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray left his start with a right hamstring strain and landed on the 15-day injured list a day later.
While Worcester began a six-game homestand at Polar Park Tuesday, the Triple-A club opted not to list Tolle in their pitching probables. Tracy said his burly left-hander was left in “limbo” and that there was “a pretty good likelihood” that Tolle would go up to Boston soon.
“Whenever he’s called upon, he’ll be ready to go,” the WooSox manager said.
You must be registered for see images attach
That time came Wednesday.
The carrot no longer dangles in front of the face of the southpaw with a stocky mustache.
“Like the donut hanging in front of you like you’re Homer Simpson,” Tolle said.
‘You’re so pretty’
Payton Tolle started growing his now infamous mustache when he was playing for High-A Greenville last year.
What originally started out as a joke — and was followed up with a few botched dye jobs — turned into a staple on his upper lip. The mustache checked off another box on the personality bingo card for Tolle.
“It is artificially enhanced, but it’s not a sloppy job either — it’s down to a science,” Tolle said on Cassell’s Corner podcast. “I know about every two Mondays it should be dyed and now we know where to be with it.
You must be registered for see images
“People have taken to it.”
When Tolle took his big-league mustache to Fenway Park for his Major League debut last August, Tolle said he heard his mother “somewhere out there” in the crowd during the Red Sox’ game against the Pirates.
Tolle’s mom, Jina, died on May 9, 2024, following a lengthy battled with colon cancer. She passed away just two months before Boston selected Tolle with the No. 50 overall pick in the MLB Draft.
“She was just a rock for me. She was there every single time,” Tolle said. “… She always had the best advice. She was my best friend.”
When Tolle pitches this season, the Oklahoma native wears a black baseball glove on his right hand with the words ‘You’re so pretty’ inscribed on it. The quote comes from his mom, who used to say those three words to her oldest son before all his baseball, basketball and football games.
“(I) pick sayings from her that kind of remind me of her because she’s always there and watching over me, and it’s been fun,” Tolle said on Cassell’s Corner podcast. “I got a few more quotes.”
You must be registered for see images attach
All roads lead to Boston
The past few years have been described as a “whirlwind” by Payton Tolle.
From pitching in college (TCU) in 2024 to pitching in the pros (Boston) in 2025, the Red Sox’ No. 1 prospect has developed quite the reputation — both on and off the mound.
“It’s just fun to be around him, and I think it rubs off on everybody else,” Tracy said. “And I think that’s why everybody else loves him so much.”
You must be registered for see images attach
And after spending nearly a week waiting in limbo with the WooSox, Tolle appears to be on the move to the big leagues. He’ll join the Red Sox in time for their final game of a series against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.
It’s Tolle Time in Boston, again.
“We know what the goal is like,” Tolle said. “We know what it feels like, we know what it looks like, we know what it tastes like, we know that feeling of getting on the mound in front of 30,000 people. So now it’s just ‘What can I do to, where, whenever I get up there again, how can I stay?’”
—Contact Tommy Cassell at [email protected]. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, @tommycassell44.
This article originally appeared on Telegram & Gazette: Payton Tolle will reportedly be called up to join the Boston Red Sox
Continue reading...
