Sep 5, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle (70) throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Red Sox's Alex Bregman Sends Payton Tolle Message After Blow-Up Outing

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 6, 2025 11:00 AM ET

Payton Tolle's first major league start for the Boston Red Sox went as smoothly as it could. The second one was the complete opposite.

Tolle was in trouble from the beginning, allowing a solo home run in the first inning, a wild pitch to bring home a run in the second, and a three-run homer in the third that sealed his fate. It was a short night for the 22-year-old lefty, who took his first major league loss against the plucky Arizona Diamondbacks.

It hurt the Red Sox for Tolle not to pitch deep into the outing, and a number of red flags popped up that weren't present in his first start. However, one of his team's veteran leaders remains confident he can get the job done moving forward.

Alex Bregman's thoughts on Payton Tolle

After the loss on Friday night, third baseman Alex Bregman expressed his trust in Tolle, saying he hoped the team would continue giving him the ball even in light of his tough performance.

"He wouldn’t be making that start if we didn’t believe in him," Bregman said, per Tim Healey of the Boston Globe. "So we believe that he gives us a great chance to win every time he steps out there. I look forward to the next one and many more after that."

Tolle's fastball is electric, but on Friday night, it was the only pitch he had. He couldn't locate his cutter or any of his breaking balls, and after walking two batters in 5 1/3 innings in his debut (manageable) he walked four in just three innings this time (not manageable).

By all accounts, Tolle will remain in the rotation, but the Red Sox will have to strain to make things work. They're hesitant to pitch him on four days' rest, but when he throws on a Friday, they're having to push him back to the following Friday and insert a de facto six-man rotation.

Last time, they used that sixth start on a bullpen game. This time around, they could do the same, or perhaps call upon Kyle Harrison from Triple-A.

Still, it's clear that the Red Sox see something special in Tolle, and Bregman, as an impending free agent, went out of his way to comment on the youngster's future. The 22-year-old just has to wear this one on the chin and keep moving.

This article first appeared on Boston Red Sox on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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