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 Starting Pitching Uncertainty Becoming Major Red Flag

Originally posted on Boston Red Sox on SI
By Jackson Roberts | Last updated Sep 7, 2025 2:03 PM ET

If you don't have a strong starting rotation, you don't have much. And the Boston Red Sox's rotation, which was their greatest strength for much of the summer, is starting to show cracks.

There's a solid top three of Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, and Lucas Giolito that won't change unless an injury occurs. But Dustin May has been anything but reliable as the No. 4 starter, and promising rookie Payton Tolle is proving tough to work around.

Tolle's second career start on Friday was a flop, with five earned runs, two home runs, and four walks allowed in just three innings. And for the second straight trip through the rotation, Tolle probably won't be able to pitch the fifth game after his last start.

Red Sox don't have a set plan for Wednesday's game

Boston travels to West Sacramento next to take on the fifth-place Athletics. It's a series the Red Sox need to win if they want any chance at the division, and a series it would behoove them to win to ensure they don't lose their grip on a playoff spot.

Crochet will pitch Monday and May will go Tuesday. But there's once again no plan for Wednesday's game, as manager Alex Cora explained to the media on Saturday.

“We’re talking about that one,” Cora said, per Chris Cotillo of MassLive. “It’s Crochet, May, then we’ll determine what we do on Wednesday.”

Cotillo reported that Boston's options are a bullpen game, which worked out poorly this past Wenesday, Kyle Harrison, who is starting Sunday for Triple-A Worcester, and Tolle, who would be pitching on four days' rest for the first time in his professional career (seems unlikely).

Fortunately, Boston is off the Monday the 15th, so Tolle should be able to start this coming Friday and the Thursday after. But bullpen games are far from ideal at this point in the season, especially when there isn't a bulk option to come in behind an opener.

The Red Sox need their starters to be at their strongest now that Roman Anthony is out of the picture. Instead, they're met with more uncertainty than they've experienced all season.

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

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