BOSTON -- A day after tears flowed out of Payton Tolle ’s eyes when he was informed of his pending call-up to the Major Leagues for a Friday night debut against Pirates ace Paul Skenes, cheers poured out of a packed Fenway Park as the 22-year-old lefty went to work.

Tolle made his presence felt from pitch one, a 96.9 mph fastball for a called strike. Three pitches later, he sent Jared Triolo back to the dugout on 98.3 mph heat.

It was a memorable night for the best pitching prospect the Red Sox have had in years. Over 5 1/3 innings, Tolle gave up three hits and two runs, walking two and striking out eight. He threw 84 pitches, 53 of them for strikes.

Less than 14 months after the Red Sox made him the 50th overall pick in the 2024 Draft , Tolle walked off to a huge standing ovation

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