Payton Tolle takes the mound for the Red Sox in their series opener against the Blue Jays

Boston, MA - May 28: Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle throws in the first inning. The Boston Red Sox played the Atlanta Braves at Fenway Park on May 28, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images If you were to ask a random group of Red

What is the story about?

If you were to ask a random group of Red Sox fans what the most fun part of the 2026 season has been so far, many might come back from the slim pickings and respond with some version of “watching Payton Tolle pitch.” It’s certainly not a bad answer, but in typical 2026 Red Sox fashion, there hasn’t exactly been much winning when he’s on the mound despite his very solid 2.70 ERA. Some of this has been the lack of run support, some of it has been the bullpen blowing his games, and some of it has been him

not going deep enough in starts to bridge directly to the high leverage relievers.

Last time out on the mound in Tampa, in was because Tolle gave up a season high four earned runs over six innings of work, putting this putrid Red Sox offense in a position where it could not recover.

If the Red Sox are going to win tonight, they’re probably going to need something closer to the Payton Tolle they got in his last outing at Fenway back on June 3rd against the Orioles, when he gave them six shutout innings of work.

Here’s the lineup that will be “supporting” him tonight against Dylan Cease and the Blue Jays:

Today’s Lineups

BLUE JAYS	RED SOX
George Springer – DH	Masataka Yoshida – DH
Ernie Clement – 2B	Ceddanne Rafaela – CF
Vladimir Guerrero – 1B	Wilyer Abreu – RF
Alejandro Kirk – C	Willson Contreras – 1B
Kazuma Okamoto – 3B	Jarren Duran – LF
Nathan Lukes – RF	Caleb Durbin – 3B
Davis Schneider – LF	Isiah Kiner-Falefa – 2B
Andres Gimenez – SS	Marcelo Mayer – SS
Myles Straw – CF	Connor Wong – C

Dylan Cease – RHP	Payton Tolle – LHP