By Tiffany Williams –
WORCESTER – The Worcester Red Sox will try to bounce back from a difficult Thursday sweep when they face the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp in game four of their six-game series tonight at Polar Park. First pitch is set for 6:45 p.m. as the WooSox, now 62-60, aim to even the set at two games apiece against a Jacksonville team that owns the best record in Triple-A at 74-48.
The series has already swung sharply. Worcester opened with a tight 4-3 win Tuesday, getting a leadoff homer from David Hamilton and clutch hits from Seby Zavala and Phillip Sikes, while the bullpen carried the final four innings. But after Wednesday’s rainout forced a Thursday doubleheader, Jacksonville’s depth and talent took over. Top prospect Robby Snelling blanked Worcester over six innings in the opener, then the Jumbo Shrimp stormed back from an early deficit in game two with an eight-run fifth inning, punctuated by Victor Mesa Jr.’s grand slam.
The WooSox enter tonight short-handed. Hamilton and outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia were both promoted to Boston this week, stripping Worcester of two of its most productive bats. Meanwhile, Vaughn Grissom, Cooper Criswell, and Tyler McDonough all landed on the injured list. To compensate, Worcester has turned to a mix of reinforcements: relievers Jovani Moran and Isaiah Campbell, recently optioned from Boston, and versatile call-ups from Double-A Portland, Karson Simas and Max Ferguson. The roster shuffle underscores the challenge of facing a first-place team while retooling on the fly.
On the mound, Worcester hands the ball to Payton Tolle, Boston’s top pitching prospect and MLB Pipeline’s No. 3 Red Sox prospect. The 22-year-old lefty showed his potential last weekend in Iowa, firing five shutout innings with five strikeouts, bouncing back after a rocky Triple-A debut against Buffalo. Drafted just last year in the second round, Tolle has already risen from High-A Greenville to Triple-A in barely two months, an ascent not seen for a Boston pitcher since Craig Hansen in 2005. At 6-foot-6, 250 pounds, he brings imposing size, a mid-90s fastball, and the kind of presence that can set a tone against even the league’s best lineup.
Jacksonville, meanwhile, counters with left-hander Adam Laskey, a 26-year-old former Duke standout who was plucked in the minor league phase of the Rule 5 Draft. Laskey has rebuilt his career with consistency, posting a 3.76 ERA with 50 strikeouts in 52.2 innings at Double-A Pensacola before his promotion. He won’t overpower hitters, but he throws strikes and keeps the ball in play, which means Worcester’s hitters will need to string together quality at-bats rather than wait for mistakes.
For the WooSox to succeed tonight, their blueprint is clear. They must score early to give Tolle room to work, especially with Jacksonville leading all of Triple-A in stolen bases (245) and thriving when pressuring pitchers. Kristian Campbell has emerged as a steady table-setter, while Trayce Thompson and Seby Zavala provide run production in the middle of the order. Sikes’ ability to grind at-bats could be key with Hamilton no longer atop the lineup. Defensively, Worcester cannot afford errors—Jacksonville’s lineup punishes extra chances with both speed and power. If Worcester does carry a late lead, expect Bryan Mata and Zack Kelly to be trusted in high-leverage innings.
The test is steep: Jacksonville blends patient hitting, opportunistic baserunning, and timely power in a way few Triple-A rosters can match. But Tolle’s upside gives Worcester a fighting chance to reset the series.
Prediction: Tolle limits Jacksonville through five strong innings, Worcester scrapes across just enough offense, and the bullpen holds late.
Final score: Worcester 5, Jacksonville 4.