Payton Tolle Accomplishes MLB History Not Done Since Roger Clemens Was a Red Sox
· Yahoo Sports
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This Boston Red Sox stretch has been just as impressive as anything we've seen in quite some time around Major League Baseball, and the starting pitching has been a big factor in why.
The Red Sox have gotten a ton of contributions from multiple names, especially when factoring in that Garrett Crochet hasn't taken the mound.
Crochet, still dealing with an injury, is the ace of this staff. However, guys like Payton Tolle have done a great job in his absence, including in his most recent start on Friday against the Athletics.
The Red Sox came away with a 13-1 win, but Tolle was just as good as he's ever been throughout his career, striking out 14 in 6.0 innings, allowing two hits and just one earned run.
According to ESPN, he tied for second place with the most strikeouts by an American League rookie over the past 50 years. The one player who struck out more hitters than him was also a Red Sox back in the day: Roger Clemens.
“Tolle's 14 strikeouts are tied for the second most in a game by an American League rookie over the past 50 years, trailing only Roger Clemens, who fanned 15 in August 1984 when the Red Sox played the Royals, according to ESPN Research,” ESPN wrote.
If Tolle can have a similar career to Clemens, the Red Sox would have one of the best rotations in Major League Baseball.
For now, however, we just have to appreciate what he's been able to do throughout the past month or so. In August, there's a strong argument to be made that he's been the best pitcher in baseball, striking out 21 hitters in just 12.0 innings, including a 6.0-inning outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in which he struck out seven.
More importantly, the Red Sox came away with wins in both of his last starts.