BOSTON — In 17 years in the majors, Pirates designated hitter Andrew McCutchen has faced a lot of pitchers.
In Red Sox rookie Payton Tolle, who made his major league debut on Friday, McCutchen saw a younger version of a former Red Sox ace.
“He kind of reminds me of Chris Sale with his arm angle and his extension. He’s obviously bigger than (Sale) is. But the way the ball was and the way he was releasing it, felt a lot like Sale,” the former National League MVP said. “Sale obviously has better secondary stuff, but (Tolle’s) fastball plays. He has electric stuff.
“His fastball is electric. Everyone was obviously able to see that,” McCutchen continued. “He came out real hot, throwing 98, 99. He did well for himself, but luckily we have someone in Paul Skenes who can show up and has a track record.”
Tolle allowed two runs on three hits and two walks, while striking out eight and didn’t factor in the decision as the Pirates won 4-2.
Skenes, Pittsburgh’s 23-year-old ace, was facing a younger starter for the first time.
“I’m the seasoned veteran now,” said Skenes, who allowed two runs (one earned), on seven hits in six innings to earn the win. “I’ve watched video of him. The stuff is obviously really good. I didn’t get a ton of time to watch him tonight. But it’s cool to see that. I’ll be watching him.”
Jared Triolo got the first look at Tolle and struck out on four pitches, all strikes and all at least 96 miles per hour. He chased 98 for strike three.
“I thought we were prepared enough. He has really good stuff and was commanding the zone tonight,” Triolo said. “I thought he pitched pretty well. He’s a really good pitcher.”
Bryan Reynolds struck out twice against Tolle. He chased an off-speed pitch in the first and struck out on a 96-mph fastball leading off the fourth. He said the 6-foot-6 lefty’s height presents a challenge.
“Good heater. Lots of extension. It plays up. You don’t see a lot of guys that have that much extension,” Reynolds said. “I was a little too defensive on the first couple, thinking about the extension. He’s got good stuff.”
Pittsburgh manager Don Kelly, whose team has won seven of its last nine, said the game was fun to be part of and praised Tolle’s showing.
“What a debut for their guy. He threw the ball really well. It was a great baseball game,” he said. “Elite stuff. When you talk about the extension and the velo, he’s very unique, especially from the left side. You don’t see too many guys like that. Early on, we struggled with the fastball. He was pounding the zone with the fastball.”
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
