Rookies Connelly Early and Payton Tolle both made their case Saturday to earn a spot on the Red Sox\u2019 wild card-round roster.<\/p>\n
Early started and pitched five innings, allowing two runs, four hits and one walk while striking out seven. The 23-year-old lefty has allowed just five earned runs in 19 \u2153 innings (2.33 ERA) over four starts.<\/p>\n
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\u201cHe\u2019s a big part of what we\u2019re trying to accomplish,\u201d manager Alex Cora said about Early. \u201cLet\u2019s see what happens \u2014 the (playoff roster) decisions we make, \u2014 but he\u2019s a part of it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tolle, meanwhile, pitched a scoreless sixth inning. After allowing a leadoff single, he struck out Spencer Torkelson swinging and forced Riley Greene to ground into a double play. The 22-year-old lefty has allowed two runs while striking out seven in six innings since Boston moved him to the bullpen.<\/p>\n
When Cora was asked if Tolle is in the mix for a postseason roster spot, he replied, \u201cThose decisions, it all depends on who we play. Right now we have no clue who we\u2019re going to play.\u201d<\/p>\n
Detroit, Cleveland, New York or Toronto all remain potential wild-card round opponents for Boston.<\/p>\n
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\u201cWhatever happens, happens,\u201d Tolle said. \u201cIf they want to keep me around, then I\u2019m more than happy.\u201d<\/p>\n
Both Early and Tolle have the ability to generate whiffs, which is extremely valuable during the postseason.<\/p>\n
Early induced 10 whiffs, including six with his curveball, against the Tigers. He induced 19 whiffs in his MLB debut on Sept. 9 vs. the Athletics. He has struck out 36.7% of the batters he has faced in the big leagues.<\/p>\n
\u201cThrowing strikes, swing and miss, he\u2019s a good pitcher,\u201d Cora said.<\/p>\n
The Sox could use Early as a reliever in the wild-card round and potentially as a fourth starter in a longer postseason series.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ll be ready to go whenever they call my name,\u201d Early said. So if AC makes that decision to maybe move me to the \u2018pen or something or whatever that may be, I\u2019m ready to go.”<\/p>\n
Tolle added, \u201cHe\u2019s been pitching his butt off.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tolle began the year at High-A Greenville while Early started it at Double-A Portland.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf I look back at it and go back to around the All Star break, would have never expected being in this spot,\u201d Early said. \u201cSo being able to be with this team, do it with these guys who have been able to do it for 161 games now, being able to make a postseason, it\u2019s a dream come true.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tolle threw the fastest pitch of his career Saturday, reaching 100.8 mph. He has struck out 25.7% of the batters he has faced.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI\u2019ve joked around and said I kind of take my brain out of it whenever I\u2019m out there,\u201d Tolle said. \u201cI get to come in and just cut it loose, just go right at guys.\u201d<\/p>\n
He called it \u201coffensive pitching.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cJust kind of come at guys with what I\u2019ve got,\u201d Tolle said.<\/p>\n
Tolle\u2019s fastball is well ahead of his secondary pitches at this point. He\u2019s been focusing on his offspeed pitches during bullpen sessions and struck out Torkelson on a slider away.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s like, \u2018Oh we can strike somebody out that\u2019s not on a fastball.\u2019 So it was good and we\u2019ll keep fiddling with pitches. Threw a curveball for the first time out of the pen today. Terrible pitch, way outside. But still we\u2019re going to keep working on those offseason pitches, keep getting that feel.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Read the original article on MassLive. Add MassLive as a Preferred Source by clicking here.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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