NEW YORK -- Boston Red Sox rookie left-hander Payton Tolle will start Tuesday night's AL Wild Card Series opener against the New York Yankees and will be followed in the rotation for the best-of-three series by right-hander Sonny Gray and left-hander Ranger Suarez.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy made the announcement Monday, a day after Yankees manager Aaron Boone said right-hander Cam Schlittler will start Game 1 and be followed by left-hander Max Fried and right-hander Gerrit Cole.
"I know he's a rookie, but as far as the way he approaches baseball and big moments, that part won't bother him," Tracy said. "He's a pretty special personality that's been through a lot and doesn't take things too seriously that don't need to be taken that seriously."
Tolle was 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA in 26 starts, striking out 171 in 148â…” innings. The 23-year-old, known for his lighthearted approach to the game, pitched against the Yankees twice this year, holding New York to a .093 batting average with a 0.69 ERA. He allowed one run and four hits and struck out 18 with three walks in 13 innings.
"I've tried trying to be super locked in. It just doesn't work for me. I end up putting too much pressure on myself," Tolle said Monday. "I just have found that the way that I work the best is trying to be comfortable and trying to smile as much as I can out there."
Tolle faced one batter in last year's AL Wild Card Series, retiring Trent Grisham in the ninth inning of New York's Game 2 win.
Schlittler, 25, was 14-6 with an AL-best 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts this year, his first full season. He faced the Red Sox four times, holding them to a .174 batting average and 0.74 ERA with 27 strikeouts and nine walks in 24 1/3 innings.
The Yankees ace also struck out 12 over eight innings in a 4-0 win over the Red Sox in Game 3 of last year's Wild Card Series. He allowed five hits, all singles, and walked none. The right-hander threw 11 pitches 100 mph or faster, including six in the first inning.
A Massachusetts native, Schlitter said he received on-line abuse ahead of his outings against Boston. He's used it as motivation.
"I wouldn't say I'm always on my phone looking for that stuff. At the same time, I don't really live under a rock," he said. "Found ways to use that to my advantage. I think I'm good at keeping receipts. At the end of the day, I'm locked into going in there tomorrow and doing my job."
Tolle and Schlittler each throw three types of fastballs: four-seamers, cutters and two-seam sinkers. Of Schlittler's 3,044 pitches this season, 2,715 (89.2%) were four-seamers and cutters. Tolle was at 87.7% with 2,005 of 2,286.
"Tolle, he's been amazing," Schlittler said. "Rookie year, it's been incredible to watch. It's fun to see someone else use the three variations of the fastball. I think when you look at a Game 1 matchup between Boston and New York, I think that's what the fans want to see."
Tracy added the status of injured pitcher Garrett Crochet is "up in the air."
The 27-year-old lefty has not pitched since April 25 due to shoulder inflammation and a lat strain, but he is nearing a return and the team is "evaluating him daily," according to Tracy.
"I've been feeling good," said Crochet, who traveled with the team to New York. "I guess now it's just a matter if anybody agrees with me."
Acquired in an offseason trade with the Chicago White Sox before the 2025 season, Crochet went 18-5 with a 2.59 ERA in 2025, but is 3-3 with a 6.30 ERA in six starts this season. His 2026 numbers are skewed by an April 13 start against the Minnesota Twins in which he allowed 10 earned runs in 1â…” innings.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
