Payton Tolle

Tolle threw the most impressive debut start of the 2026 season Friday — taking a perfect game into the 6th while recovering from an illness the day prior. The Red Sox called him up with clear intent; his stuff is major-league ready. At 4% owned this is free velocity. Add in all formats with a SP spot.

Pitcher List flagged Tolle as the priority pitcher add at 44%. The 36% K-rate through his first two MLB starts is elite, and with Sonny Gray on the IL, his rotation spot is locked for at least 4-5 turns. The velocity dip we flagged in his second start has corrected. Add now in all 12+ team formats.

The Red Sox's 23-year-old lefty hasn't allowed more than three earned runs in any of his seven starts, with 46 strikeouts against just 11 walks in 41 1/3 innings. FanGraphs' rookie pitching class analysis (Part 2, June 8) identifies Tolle as the xERA leader for the entire 2026 class — driven by a 96 mph four-seamer with 98th-percentile extension (7.4 feet) that genuinely plays as elite-grade velocity. At roughly 14% owned, this is the stash of the season in any 14+ team format.

Started vs Athletics (6W-6L, 3.30 ERA)

Started vs Minnesota Twins (2W-2L, 2.05 ERA)

Started @ Atlanta Braves (1W-2L, 1.99 ERA)

Started vs Tampa Bay Rays (1W-1L, 2.04 ERA)

Started vs Tampa Bay Rays (1W-1L, 2.04 ERA)

Started @ Detroit Tigers (0W-1L, 3.38 ERA)

Started @ Toronto Blue Jays (0W-0L, 1.50 ERA)