Payton Tolle has quickly become a fan favorite on the Boston Red Sox, and the reasons go beyond baseball. Besides being one of the most talented and electric young starting pitchers in the sport, Tolle is a lovable personality who represents the Red Sox well wherever he goes. It's impossible not to root for this guy, and he also happens to be really, really good at pitching.
Given Tolle's immense value as a baseball player, it's no surprise to hear that plenty of other teams around MLB are interested in him as a trade target this offseason. And now that we're in the hot stove territory of the calendar, Tolle's name has surfaced in plenty of Red Sox trade buzz, particularly when it comes to theoretical Boston packages for a superstar like Elly De La Cruz or Bobby Witt Jr.
The idea here is that Boston, seeking to strengthen the middle of its order, could acquire an offensive megastar of De La Cruz or Witt's caliber by packaging Tolle and stud prospect Franklin Arias, plus more.
But a ton of Red Sox fans aren't on board with that thinking, all due to Tolle. Fans simply don't want to see Tolle go, even in a deal for a superstar. And by the way, FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray doesn't believe the Red Sox should trade Tolle, either.
"If I was the Red Sox, I'd make Payton Tolle untouchable," Murray said on a new episode of "The Baseball Insiders" podcast.
Insider Robert Murray delights Red Sox fans by calling Payton Tolle untouchable
If the Red Sox go get Elly De La Cruz, Robert Murray has one rule: don't touch Payton Tolle or Roman Anthony.
— Matthew Crory (@matthewcrory) November 2, 2026
From @ByRobertMurray on Baseball Insiders: "If I was the Red Sox, I'd make Payton Tolle untouchable... He should be among the headliners in your rotation."
On Anthony:… pic.twitter.com/znJcNGQ1Qc
Baseball value alone should have the Red Sox following Murray's advice and placing the untouchable tag on Tolle. Remember: Tolle just turned 24 years old on November 1. He hasn't even begun to scratch the surface of his potential as an MLB pitcher, and he was excellent in his rookie season in 2026, going 9-6 with a 3.03 ERA and 171 strikeouts.
Tolle has obvious ace potential. The upper-90s heater is already there, but once Tolle develops his secondary stuff more over the next few years, he might become borderline unhittable. Just think if the Red Sox traded him and watched him become a Tarik Skubal-esque perennial Cy Young candidate on another team... that would be a living nightmare for Red Sox fans.
And to return to the non-baseball stuff mentioned above, Tolle has an iconic, larger-than-life persona that Boston can't afford to give away. He's the type of athlete and person who reminds us why fans get attached to their favorite teams — they develop an undying affinity and loyalty to certain players. Trade away Tolle, and you'd be stabbing the Red Sox fanbase in the heart. Keep this guy in Boston forever.
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