Payton Tolle Scratched as Red Sox Leave Door Open for MLB Call-Up

The Boston Red Sox No. 1 prospect was scratched from his scheduled start on Sunday.

Feb 26, 2026; Fort Myers, Florida, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle (70) throws a pitch in the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at JetBlue Park at Fenway South. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images

The Boston Red Sox had the first pitch for their contest against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday pushed back due to weather.

Initially, the Red Sox were going to face off against the Tigers on Sunday afternoon with first pitch scheduled for 1:35 p.m. ET. The game was pushed back due to weather with it being moved to 4:35 p.m.

The weather was a significant question mark for the club throughout the day on Sunday. So much so that young flamethrower Payton Tolle was scratched from his scheduled start with Triple-A Worcester as a contingency, just in case the club's contest against Detroit was cancelled and then a doubleheader was played on Monday, per Alex Speier of The Boston Globe.

"Payton Tolle was scratched from his scheduled start for the WooSox on Saturday, and isn’t starting today. He’s being held back in case the Sox have a doubleheader [Monday]," Speier wrote on X.

The Red Sox Prospect Was Scratched

WooSox pitcher Payton Tolle starts against Columbus April 13 at Polar Park. | Rick Cinclair/Telegram & Gazette / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Boston's contest on Monday already will have plenty of fanfare. First pitch is scheduled for 11:10 a.m. ET because of the fact that the Boston Marathon will be run on Monday. Every year, the Red Sox play on Marathon Monday with an early first pitch as runners across the city begin to reach the finish line.

The day is already something special each year around Boston. A doubleheader plus the idea of Tolle being promoted to make an appearance would be enough to get the fanbase even more fired up than they typically are for the day.

As of writing, no decision has been made about the status of Sunday's contest, aside from the fact that the first pitch was pushed back by a few hours. You never want to see a game called early, but the idea of Tolle getting a shot in the majors, plus a Marathon Monday doubleheader certainly is a fun thought.

As more information is provided on the contest, we will keep you in the loop right here. Again, as of writing, the game is still scheduled to be played. Buy keep an eye on Boston, and specifically Tolle. He has made three starts so far this season down with Triple-A Worcester and has a 3.00 ERA across 15 innings of work to go along with a 19-to-4 strikeout-to-walk ratio. He certainly has been impressive. Could his next appearance come in Boston? That all comes down to the weather at this moment.