AL WILD CARD SERIES: RED SOX VS YANKEES

September 28, 2026

Payton Tolle

Yankee Stadium

Boston Red Sox

Workout Day Press Conference

Q. What does this mean to you to get Game 1 start? This is not an honor that comes along every day, especially as a rookie.

PAYTON TOLLE: It means a lot. I think it's something that you work for for a long time. To be able to get this opportunity is really special. To be able to go out there and try to set the tone as best I can is really special.

Q. Wondering how well, if at all, do you know Schlittler and how you see the differences in maybe your personality? He seems to be a guy who looks to motivate himself and kind of gets a little worked up. You're a lot more joyful in your approach. Wondering what you see as the difference in approaches and personalities?

PAYTON TOLLE: I haven't been able to ever really talk to him, but as pitchers, I feel like everybody is -- it can be very different, whether it's don't talk to me, I'm locking in myself or talking in the locker room, wanting to be free flowing, easy. It's like pitchers are going to find their way of what works for them, and what works for me is not what's going to work for pitcher A, B, and C.

It's however you find your way to motivate you, that's how you're going to go out there and do your best. Whatever gets you to that point of trying to be your best.

Q. Just growing up, did you always have that lighter approach on the mound, soft of taking it all in, enjoying the atmosphere, and not getting too pent up?

PAYTON TOLLE: Yeah, I would say so. I've tried the like trying to be super locked in. It just doesn't work for me. I end up putting too much pressure on myself or like just different -- 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.

Q. I know the rotation has sort of been lined up like this for a little bit, for about a week or so, but when did you actually find out from Tracy that you were beginning Game 1? When you found out, how much have you been thinking about tomorrow since then?

PAYTON TOLLE: They told me last week. Yeah, it's something you think about. I kind of go back to earlier this year whenever I got called up. It was a week of you're going to get called up, but we don't know when. So it was kind of like, okay, am I pitching against this team? Am I pitching against this team? It's just like, wait, are we going? When are we going? It's constantly thinking like how do I prep myself the best for whenever that happens.

There's kind of a similar approach to this week of like knowing that you have it and like it's a cool experience to have and how do I prep myself the best to go out there and give myself the best shot?

Q. What do you make of your cameo in the series last year, and what do you make of where you stand now relatively speaking?

PAYTON TOLLE: I got one out. That's all that I needed to do, I guess. I think it's a great experience. Even just going, like walking out there to the pin last year, you see like how much the fans interact, how bought in they are. You see how much it means. You get to hear how loud it gets and just try and turn that into white noise the best you can.

It's an experience not only for myself, but like we've had a lot of guys -- we have a pretty young team that have already had maybe not postseason experience, but like been on clubs, like Romo last year. Didn't get to play in the postseason but was on the team to get there. Just seeing what that looks like, seeing what winning baseball looks like, and then just trying to do what I can to think about that moment so that whenever it comes up this time, I've been there.

Q. For the Red Sox, is this season a success, or is it too early to tell?

PAYTON TOLLE: Last time I checked we're still playing, so it's too early to tell.

Q. That one out, though, from what I recall, was in the eighth inning with the bases loaded in a one-one game. That pressure packed environment, and you've been called up a month and a half before, did that pressure and kind of the heightened atmosphere kind of prepare you even more for this?

PAYTON TOLLE: Yeah, for sure. You've got to gain experience to be experienced. I need five years of, what is it, job prep to get the -- how does it go? Walk with me here. Whenever the job says you need five years of experience, well, you only got one year, but you're good, like you can go do your job. So it's kind of like that.

I've had a little bit of experience. It might not be all the experience I need, but it's enough to go back to and to think about, reflect on how did I feel in that moment to now where we get to here to try to be as successful as possible.

Sorry, that took a turn. It was the best way that I could -- I've got Middlebrooks laughing. That's all that matters.

Q. Have you ever applied for a job that required five years experience, and if so, how much --

PAYTON TOLLE: No, no, no, but I tried to make an analogy there. Did it work? (Laughter).

Q. How many people will you have here tomorrow night?

PAYTON TOLLE: A good amount. I think there's some that have let me know they're coming and some that will probably just show up. I got my dad coming, wife's going to be here, wife's family is going to be here, some good family friends.

It's one of those that you're thankful for the moment, and I'm really happy they're going to be able to experience it.

Q. Also, you played for Tracy a little bit last year and he becomes the manager this year, to kind of see him stepping into that role, what's that been like, and how much are you guys trying to make this not just for yourselves but also for him?

PAYTON TOLLE: Yeah, it's incredible to see what he did coming in and being that calming presence that we needed because it got crazy. I also think it's funny too, he got called up two days after I got called up. That was kind of funny to joke about.

Just the way that he's come in, the relationship that he can have with especially young players, we had a lot of guys come up and help us out this year, and he was able to really bring them in, let them get comfortable. That's why I think that we were able to be so successful with the guys that we had this year.

Q. Have you ever submitted a resume for any job?

PAYTON TOLLE: I got on LinkedIn once. It's probably out there, but it was for some college course, so yeah. Sorry for that analogy. I thought it might apply. I'm getting a thumbs up? Yeah, there it is, freshman year.

Q. When you're pitching, do you think about the other starting pitcher? If it's someone who has the kind of year that he has, do you feel like you have a pressure to match him, or do you shut that out and just attack the lineup?

PAYTON TOLLE: I think that -- I don't have to face him in an at-bat, so that's good. Yeah, you just try to like I'm not facing Schlittler tomorrow, like I'm facing their lineup obviously. Yeah, just trying to shut that out.

If you go back to experiences, going back to Paul Skenes in my debut, like thinking that's a big moment, but you've got to come back to earth. You're not facing Paul Skenes, you're facing their lineup. Yeah, it's just something that you learn and experience it and move on.

Q. How do you think this game is going to go?

PAYTON TOLLE: A real flower knocker. You know, it's going to be a whole lot of fun. It's going to be a good night.

Q. I'm sorry I missed the beginning. Could you talk about what it's like to pitch Game 1 at Yankee Stadium?

PAYTON TOLLE: Yeah, it's what you play for, especially just the magnitude of the game. You're playing under the lights. It's going to be a whole lot of fun. I'm really proud of the work that has been put in to get here by all these guys, going back to June. It's like, man, to be in this spot now, we've gone through a lot and just super excited to get out there tomorrow.

Q. Following up on that, after everything the team has been through and accomplished, does it feel right that it's the Yankees to start the playoffs?

PAYTON TOLLE: I mean, sure. That's how it lines up. I think our number one goal is to get in. No matter who it's against, you're going to have to play them at some point. Yeah, it's just going to be a fun night.