NEW YORK (AP) — Payton Tolle doesn't wear his heart on his sleeve. He shows his emotion on his chest.
Picked to give a presentation on U.S. history to his Boston Red Sox teammates during spring training, Tolle showed them a video of hot dog-eating champion Joey Chestnut, and the rookie pitcher highlighted his talk by ripping off his shirt to reveal “U-S-A” shaved into his chest hair.
He takes that light-hearted approach with him to the mound, where
he'll oppose New York Yankees ace Cam Schlittler in an AL Wild Card Series opener Tuesday night.
“I’ve tried trying to be super locked in. It just doesn’t work for me. I end up putting too much pressure on myself,” Tolle said Monday. “I just have found that the way that I work the best is trying to be comfortable and trying to smile as much as I can out there.”
Right-hander Sonny Gray and left-hander Ranger Suarez will follow in the Boston rotation for the best-of-three series.
New York plans to start left-hander Max Fried in Game 2 and right-hander Gerrit Cole if the matchup is pushed to the limit.
Tolle was 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA in 26 starts this season, striking out 171 in 148 2/3 innings. The 23-year-old lefty got one out in last year's playoffs against the Yankees and held them to an .093 batting average and 0.69 ERA in two outings this year. He allowed four hits while striking out 18 and walking three in 13 innings.
“I know he’s a rookie, but as far as the way he approaches baseball and big moments, that part won’t bother him,” Red Sox manager Chad Tracy said. “He’s a pretty special personality that’s been through a lot and doesn’t take things too seriously that don’t need to be taken that seriously.”
Schlittler, 25, was 14-6 with an AL-best 1.95 ERA and 239 strikeouts this year, his first full season. He faced the Red Sox four times, holding them to a .174 batting average and 0.74 ERA with 27 strikeouts and nine walks in 24 1/3 innings.
Schlittler struck out 12 over eight innings in the Yankees’ 4-0 win against the Red Sox in Game 3 of last year’s Wild Card Series. He allowed five hits, all singles, and walked none. The right-hander threw 11 pitches 100 mph or faster, including six in the first inning.
A Massachusetts native, Schlitter said he received on-line abuse ahead of his outings against Boston. He's used it as motivation.
“I wouldn’t say I’m always on my phone looking for that stuff. At the same time, I don’t really live under a rock,” he said. “Found ways to use that to my advantage. I think I’m good at keeping receipts. At the end of the day, I’m locked into going in there tomorrow and doing my job.”
Tolle and Schlittler each throw three types of fastballs: four-seamers, cutters and two-seam sinkers. Of Schlittler's 3,044 pitches this season, 2,715 (89.2%) were four-seamers and cutters. Tolle was at 87.7% with 2,005 of 2,286.
“Tolle, he’s been amazing,” Schlittler said. “Rookie year, it’s been incredible to watch. It’s fun to see someone else use the three variations of the fastball. I think when you look at a Game 1 matchup between Boston and New York, I think that’s what the fans want to see.”
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