The Boston Red Sox selected Payton Tolle in the second round of last year’s MLB Draft. Just 13 months later, it’s time for the club to consider signing the electrifying left-hander to a lucrative contract extension.
Tolle breezed through the minor-league ranks in his first professional season. The former TCU star made 11 High-A appearances before earning a promotion to Double-A Portland in late June. After only six games with the Sea Dogs, he was promoted to Triple-A Worcester in early August.
His WooSox stint was even shorter. After three starts, Tolle got the call to join the big-league club and made his MLB debut on Aug. 29 against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Fenway Park. The 23-year-old’s upside was on display as he allowed two runs on three hits and struck out eight over 5.2 innings pitched.
Outside of his impressive debut, Tolle experienced growing pains during his first MLB stint. But this year, his official rookie season, he has looked like a future ace with a 2.97 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and 128 strikeouts across 20 starts. He’ll continue to play a critical role throughout Boston’s postseason push, and he should remain an anchor in the rotation for years to come.
As of Tuesday, the Red Sox haven’t initiated extension talks with Tolle. One would think those conversations will begin soon, because the organization has been aggressive in locking up its promising young talent on long-term deals. Roman Anthony (eight years, $130 million), Garrett Crochet (six years, $170 million), Ceddanne Rafaela (eight years, $50 million), Brayan Bello (six years, $55 million), and Kristian Campbell (eight years, $60 million) are the most recent examples.
When the Red Sox are ready to talk numbers, Tolle will be all ears.
“For sure,” Tolle told Alex Speier of The Boston Globe. “For (Anthony), being able to be here for the next seven years, eight, that’s pretty cool. We’re calling Boston home right now for however long they want me to call it home.”
So, what might a Tolle extension look like? For a blueprint, look no further than fellow 23-year-old hurler Chase Burns’ new deal with Cincinnati.
The Reds signed their hard-throwing right-hander to a seven-year, $105 million extension last month — reportedly the largest guarantee for a pitcher with fewer than four years of MLB service time. Burns boasts a 14-2 record with a 2.47 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 151 strikeouts through 23 starts so far in his second MLB season.
A similar deal would make sense for Tolle, and it’d solidify a lethal 1-2 punch in the Red Sox rotation alongside a healthy Crochet.
Tolle’s performance on the mound and his quirky personality off of it have already made him a fan favorite in Boston. He feels that love each time he takes the field at Fenway Park, and the feeling is mutual.
“Boston is a baseball city. I love that people get the game,” Tolle told Speier. “You feel like you have the whole city behind you. It’s special, something that not a lot of places get. I love it. Right now, there’s no other place I’d want to pitch.”
Tolle has allowed only three earned runs while tallying 25 strikeouts in 20 innings over his last three starts. His next scheduled start is Wednesday’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Fenway.
