The Red Sox are turning to rookie left-hander Payton Tolle for Game 1 of their wild-card series against the Yankees on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Boston announced Monday that Tolle will get the ball in the opener, with Sonny Gray lined up for Game 2 and Ranger Suarez set for Game 3 if the series goes that far. First pitch is set for 8 p.m. ET.
The move makes plenty of sense on paper. New York’s lineup features a number of left-handed bats, and Boston is choosing the arm that has already handled this opponent well. Tolle made two starts against the Yankees during the regular season and gave up just one run over 13 innings, posting a 0.69 ERA while striking out 18.
That decision also changes the way the Yankees can build out their lineup. New York unveiled its Game 1 group Tuesday afternoon, and it did not include second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. or infielder Luis Garcia Jr.
Chisholm finished the 2026 season with 19 homers and 41 stolen bases in 137 games, while Garcia put up 30 homers and 92 RBI in 147 games. With Aaron Judge out for the wild-card series, the Yankees are already short on power, and leaving both Chisholm and Garcia out of the starting lineup only adds to that problem.
Neither player is guaranteed to stay out of the game entirely, but their absence from the opening lineup is a clear plus for Boston with a lefty on the mound.
Tolle’s rise has been one of the Red Sox’s biggest stories this season. He didn’t break camp with the club out of Spring Training, but once he reached the majors, he took off. In 26 starts, Tolle posted a 3.03 ERA with 171 strikeouts and 40 walks across 148 2/3 innings.
Now he gets the postseason stage, and Boston is handing him the biggest assignment of his young career.
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