Red Sox Announce Surprise Move on Rookie Payton Tolle

(Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images)

 

After electrifying fans at Fenway Park in his MLB debut on August 29 against the Pirates (5.1 innings, eight strikeouts, two runs), top Red Sox pitching prospect Payton Tolle has looked much more the part of a rookie in his last two appearances, getting knocked around by the Diamondbacks in a road start (five runs in 3.0 innings) and giving up two runs in 2.0 innings in a piggy-back start last week against the A’s.

Tolle’s MLB record now stands at 0-1 with a 7.84 ERA, and because of that, the team has decided to pump the brakes on how much it is asking from its promising fire-baller.

The team has announced its upcoming pitching rotation, and while fellow top prospect Connelly Early will get another start–this time at home–on Tuesday, the Red Sox will bump up Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello in the rotation.

As the Boston Globe’s Alex Speier reported, “Red Sox announce their rotation against the A’s: Early, Giolito, Bello. They’re skipping Tolle and having Giolito and Bello pitch on four days’ rest.”

Payton Tolle Pitched Career-High Innings

Of course, four days rest is normal for Giolito and Bello, so the Red Sox are essentially using this opportunity to keep those two in their normal rhythm, as well as to give Tolle a break. The team has been very wary about how it uses Tolle and during his time in the minors this season, regularly pitched him on a six-day schedule.

Tolle was the team’s second-round pick in 2024, and has not pitched more than 85.2 innings in a season in his career, which he did at Wichita State in 2023. He spent 2024 at Texas Christian and did not pitch in the Red Sox’s system after his college season was over.

So the 101.2 innings he has thrown in 2025, which began at High A and has brought him all the way to Boston, is a career-high. The Red Sox are eager to preserve his arm.

Red Sox Holding Onto Wild-Card Spot

While the downside is that fans won’t get to see Tolle this week in Boston, the upside is that Early will make his Fenway debut after making his own electric debut last week against the A’s in Sacramento. That was a late, West-Coast game, meaning many in New England were not able to see Early tie a franchise record with 11 strikeouts in his first game.

The Red Sox are 82-68, with 12 games to play. They got a much-needed win over the Yankees on Sunday, but find their playoff position weakened considerably after a poorly timed 3-6 stretch.

Boston is 5.5 games behind the Blue Jays in the AL East, and in the No. 2 wild-card spot behind the Yankees, by 1.5 games. They’re just 1.0 games ahead of the Astros for the final wild-card spot.

The hard-charging Rangers are just 2.0 games out of the final wild-card spot, with 15 wins in their last 20 games.

Detroit’s Inaction Costs Them as Rival Loads Up on Pass Rush Power

 

The Detroit Lions know better than any team in the NFL just how important depth is on defense. If they had just a few more capable players on the roster last season, it could have been enough to take them to the Super Bowl.

They had the perfect opportunity to add a veteran to their defensive line rotation, but they let it slip. Edge rusher Jadeveon Clowney signed with the Dallas Cowboys this weekend, leaving the Lions with slim pickings on the free agent market.

Now, they're stuck crossing their fingers and wishing for better injury luck this year.

Lions miss out on Jadeveon Clowney as the veteran signs with Cowboys

At this point in his career, Clowney is a mercenary. He's played for five different teams in the last six seasons, floating from roster to roster and providing capable play off the edge. Even at 32 years old, the defender can still be a key contributor for a championship-level defense.

He's totaled 15 sacks over the last two seasons, including 9.5 in his lone year with the Baltimore Ravens. While you can't expect a full workload out of the veteran, he can fit into any rotation and lift a unit.

The Cowboys' defense certainly needs his help. Dallas made Russell Wilson remember his prime this weekend in a narrow victory over the New York Giants. After trading away Micah Parsons, the Cowboys have been unable to generate much pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

Clowney might step in and immediately become their best pass rusher. It would be a different situation in Detroit, but the Lions could still use his services. Outside of Aidan Hutchinson and Marcus Davenport, this team lacks quality on the edge. And, as Dan Campbell knows all too well, edge depth can be crucial to a team's playoff success.

Adding Clowney to the rotation could have lightened the load on Detroit's starters, limiting injury risk and allowing each player to be at their best for every snap. Instead, he joins a conference rival who could be fighting the Lions for a spot in the postseason.

There are still a couple of capable edge options available in free agency. Preston Smith and DeMarcus Walker can contribute if needed, even if they aren't the level of player that Clowney is. With the best edge defender already off the board, Detroit should seriously consider making a move in the coming weeks.

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