Mar 25, 2026
3 min read
The Red Sox selected a 23-year-old pitching prospect with a 2.53 ERA in spring training three days before Opening Day.
Payton Tolle did just about everything he could to make the opening day roster for the Boston Red Sox.
The 23-year-old left-hander allowed three runs on eight hits in 10.2 spring innings (2.53 ERA), walked one batter and struck out 13. Tolle, Boston's No. 1 prospect, even offered to move to the bullpen if it meant not being selected to the minor leagues to start the MLB202 season.
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None of that saved Tola from being demoted to Triple-A on March 23 as Boston trimmed its roster three days before Opening Day.
Right-handers Zach Kelly and Tyler Oberstein were also optioned to Worcester, and Tommy Kahnel was reassigned.
The Red Sox open the regular season on March 26 in Cincinnati against the Reds.
Kelly, 30, went 1-0 with a 5.40 ERA in seven spring training games.Uberstine, 25, was 0-2 with a 6.14 ERA in his four Grapefruit League starts.
Kahnle, 36, arrived at camp late.After playing for Israel in the World Series, the veteran right-hander signed with the Red Sox on March 19. He made an appearance against Boston and did not allow a run in his only inning.
While Kahnle was expected to start the season in the minors and build up his workload, Tolle's fate wasn't sealed until this week.
His absence means that Boston will start its season with a five-man rotation of Garrett Crochet, Sonny Gray, Johan Oviedo, Ranger Suarez and Brayan Bello.
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