{"id":1900,"date":"2026-06-04T07:03:11","date_gmt":"2026-06-04T07:03:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1900"},"modified":"2026-06-04T07:03:11","modified_gmt":"2026-06-04T07:03:11","slug":"payton-tolle-brings-the-heat-on-the-mound-and-an-infectious-joy-off-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bostonrelocationinsider.com\/?p=1900","title":{"rendered":"Payton Tolle brings the heat on the mound, and an infectious joy off it"},"content":{"rendered":"
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The notion of Payton Tolle as a unicorn is wildly entertaining, if only because it\u2019s easy to imagine the affable lefthander embracing the title and showing up one day with extensions for his mustache and a horn sculpted in his facial hair. But such antics are unnecessary for a pitcher who, in mound demeanor and execution, cuts a figure like few others.<\/span><\/p>\n

Read more MLB commissioner Rob Manfred: competitive balance tax was a mistake, but salary cap might be a solution.<\/a><\/p>\n

The rookie delivered a sterling performance against the Orioles on Wednesday night, cruising through six shutout innings in an 8-1 Red Sox victory. Throwing almost nothing but hard stuff \u2014 95 of Tolle\u2019s 99 pitches were four-seamers, sinkers, or cutters \u2014 the lefthander elicited 17 swings-and-misses, the second most in any start of his career.<\/span><\/p>\n

In how he attacks hitters, Tolle (3-2, 2.28 ERA) is wonderfully unusual. Thanks to his ridiculous 7.4 feet of extension down the mound when releasing the ball, the 6-foot-6-inch, 250-pound Tolle seems like he\u2019s punching hitters in the face. And then when he releases the ball, he punches hitters in the face with a mix of hard, hard, and hard.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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