Payton Tolle keeps his late mother's memory alive on the mound
Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle will start on Mother's Day to honor his late mother, Jina Tolle, who died in 2024 after an eight-year battle with colon cancer. Even from her hospital bed, she inspired him with lines like “Be a Tigger, not an Eeyore,” and he now signals “I love you” to the sky before and after starts as a tribute. The piece also traces his path from Wichita State to a 2024 draft selection by Boston (No. 50) and highlights the deep, scouting-driven belief in his makeup and work ethic that helped land him with the Red Sox, underscoring how his family’s influence fuels his on-field performance.