Red Sox news: Payton Tolle gets Game 1 start in Wild Card Series vs. Yankees

The Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees will face off in the AL Wild Card Series this week. It is a rematch of the 2025 AL Wild Card Series that the Yankees won two games to one. Cam Schlittler won Game 3 of the series for the Yankees, and he will be on the mound for Game 1 in 2026.

Now, the Red Sox have announced who will be facing off against Schlittler, per Sean McAdam of MassLive.com.

" Payton Tolle is Game 1 starter for Red Sox," McAdam posted on X, formerly Twitter.

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Tolle went 9-6 this past season with a 3.03 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP. It was his first full season in the majors for the left-handed pitcher. The 23-year-old also appeared in seven games in 2025, making three starts. Tolle did appear in the series against the Yankees last year. He came into Game 2 against the Yankees in the bottom of the eighth inning. The bases were loaded, and the Red Sox had just given up the lead. Tolle was able to get Trent Grisham to ground out on seven pitches, keeping it a one-run game. The Sox did not score in the top of the ninth, losing the game 4-3 and evening the best-of-three series.

Tolle faced the Yankees twice this year. He gave up just one run in six innings of work against the Yankees in April, but the Red Sox lost the game 4-2. He also faced them at the end of June, going seven innings without giving up a run as the Red Sox won the game 6-1.