Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle isn't just exceeding expectations during his first full season in the majors; he's looking like one of the best young starters in the game.
So far this season, Tolle has a 2.97 ERA and a 1.061 WHIP in 115 innings. He is also 8-6 and is second on the team with 11 quality starts (Sonny Gray, who has played like a Cy Young candidate, has 15 in two more starts). And given that he's only 23 years old, there is no telling what his ceiling in Boston will look like.
It wasn't all that long ago that many thought Tolle would be better off as a reliever because of his reliance on his fastball and high velocity. While it's technically still very early in his career, the Oklahoma native is already proving his doubters wrong and is showing that he can be a long-term asset to the Red Sox in the rotation.
Payton Tolle will be crucial to the Red Sox' success moving forward
This has been an up-and-down season for the Red Sox. They had an ugly few months to begin the season before going on a tear in July (they went 21-4) and are now coming back down to earth (they are 7-5 so far in August).
But their pitching has been one of the best units in the majors for most of the season, and Tolle's presence is a big part of that.
Boston is getting great play out of Gray and Ranger Suarez, who was named an All-Star during his first season with the team, but they are 36 and soon-to-be 31 years old, respectively. Even Garrett Crochet is already 27.
What makes Tolle so unique is that he's dominating MLB offenses at such a young age. Jake Bennett, who made his MLB debut on May 1, is turning 26 years old in December. Tolle is the youngest player in Boston's rotation, yet he's already one of the team's most important pitchers.
With the way the Red Sox are built, they're in a good spot to compete for the foreseeable future. They have an elite pitching staff and a good offense (and being in a weaker American League greatly benefits them, too). As things stand, they are looking to make a World Series run as soon as this year. And while there will be a lot of pressure on a lot of different players to step up, Tolle has already established himself as someone who will be an important part of their success for years to come.
Add us as a preferred source on Google