The Red Sox called up top prospect Payton Tolle to start Thursday against the Yankees after Sonny Gray hit the injured list with a right hamstring strain.
It’s not exactly the ideal situation for a prospect debut. Boston’s rotation has been brutal this season, sitting in the bottom five with a 5.05 ERA. Things got worse when ace Garrett Crochet struggled out of the gate with a 7.88 ERA through his first three starts.
Now Gray’s injury forces the Red Sox to turn to their 23-year-old left-hander, who ranks as the 15th-best prospect in baseball according to MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo.
Tolle isn’t completely new to the big leagues. He made seven appearances last season, including three starts, but posted a rough 6.06 ERA. The Oklahoma native has looked better in Triple-A this year, going 2-0 with a 4.80 ERA and 19 strikeouts in 15 innings.
The timing isn’t perfect, though.
Tolle hasn’t pitched in 11 days since his last outing on April 12, when he went five innings with six strikeouts and just one walk. That’s a long layoff for any pitcher, let alone one making his first start of the season in the majors.
The Red Sox have some insurance. They promoted Eduardo Rivera from Double-A Portland on Wednesday, so he’s available for long relief if Tolle runs into trouble early. Rivera gives them depth while Gray works his way back from what should be a short IL stint.
From where I’m sitting, this feels like a prove-it moment for Tolle. The Red Sox rotation needs help, and if he can build on his improved Triple-A performance, he might stick around longer than expected. But with Gray likely returning soon and the team needing reliable innings, there’s not much margin for error.
All things considered, it’s a chance for Boston to see what they have in there top prospect while addressing their immediate rotation needs. Whether Tolle can handle the pressure against a division rival remains to be seen.
