Red Sox replace World Series star Buehler with prospect Payton Tolle and get a gem in his MLB debut

BOSTON (AP) — Red Sox left-hander Payton Tolle gave his head a shake and let out a big breath, as if to make sure it was all real.

“Chills. A lot of chills,” he said after taking a one-hit shutout into the sixth inning in his major league debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Friday night. “It was incredible. I came off the mound after the first and I couldn’t feel my feet.

“It was just the greatest experience of my life. It was the greatest atmosphere. I was just proud of it. I’ll look back on this day for a long time. Just think about this moment.”

Less than five months removed from his professional debut — with the Greenville Drive of the Single-A South Atlantic League — Tolle took the mound at sold-out Fenway Park against NL Cy Young Award favorite Paul Skenes.

Tolle struck out eight and was lifted to a standing ovation after allowing back-to-back singles with one out in the sixth; reliever Greg Weissert allowed those baserunners to score, and one more of his own. The Pirates won 4-2, dropping the Red Sox behind the rival New York Yankees and into third place in the AL East, but that didn’t seem to matter.

“It was a great night for us,” Boston manager Alex Cora said. “It stunk that we didn’t win. But that was a step forward for the organization.”

Called up earlier in the day when World Series clincher Walker Buehler was released, Tolle struck out a pair in the first and then pitched out of a jam in the second — fanning two more — after putting runners on second and third with nobody out.

He allowed just one hit through five but gave up back-to-back singles in the sixth and Cora came out to get him. The infielders gathered on the mound, slapping him on the shoulder and chest.

“He came out and I turned to all the guys in the infield and said, ‘I think you guys are really, really cool,’” Tolle said.

He shook hands with Cora and walked back to the dugout for more congratulations, looking to the sky as he crossed the first-base line with the crowd — and his new teammates applauding.

“I was fighting back tears. I’m not going to lie,” Tolle said. “It was pretty special.”

Tommy Pham and Andrew McCutchen hit back-to-back doubles off Weissert to give the Pirates a 3-2 lead and deprive Tolle of his first major league win. Skenes got the victory, lowering his major league-leading ERA to 2.05.

“That’s the dream of the job,” Tolle said. “Being able to have that Friday night in Boston against another really good pitcher. You kind of feel like you get battle tested quick. You know they get you get that fire, that hype of the game.

“To be able to share the rubber with somebody like that — it’s going to continue to happen,” Tolle said. “Just super proud of it.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Boston Red Sox third baseman Nate Eaton, right, asks for a pen to sign a ball for a fan before a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Boston Red Sox, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora, center, takes out pitcher Payton Tolle, left, during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle throws during the first inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

Boston Red Sox pitcher Payton Tolle gestures to the sky while walking to the dugout after being pulled during the sixth inning of a baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Friday, Aug. 29, 2025, in Boston. (AP Photo/Mark Stockwell)

FRANKFURT, Germany (AP) — Germany's troubled economy returned to modest growth last year after two years of falling output, official figures showed, as hopes rise that government spending on bridges, rail lines and defense may help end years of stagnation.

The expansion in gross domestic product of 0.2% for 2025 was fueled by stronger consumer and government spending while exports sagged under the weight of more restrictive U.S. trade policy under President Donald Trump, the German Federal Statistical Office said on Thursday.

That follows shrinkage of 0.5% in 2024 and 0.9% in 2023.

“Germany’s export business faced strong headwinds owing to higher U.S. tariffs, the appreciation of the euro and increased competition from China,” statistical office head Ruth Brand said in a statement accompanying the statistical release.

Expectations have risen for Germany to finally see stronger growth this year as the government under Chancellor Friedrich Merz implements plans to increase spending on infrastructure to make up for years of underinvestment. Meanwhile defense spending is rising due to a perceived higher level of threat from Russia after its invasion of Ukraine.

Germany has endured a period of extended stagnation following the COVID-19 pandemic. Higher energy costs following the war in Ukraine and increasing competition from China in key German specialties such as autos and industrial machinery have held back an economy that is heavily focused on exports. Then came Trump's imposition of higher tariffs, or import taxes, on goods from the European Union. The slow growth has also exposed long-term structural issues such as excessive bureaucracy and lack of skilled labor. A stronger euro has also made exports less competitive on price.

A group of leading economists has predicted 0.9% growth for this year but said that forecast could be at risk if the increase in government spending is unleashed more slowly than expected.

The German economy grew 0.2% in the last three months of 2025, according to available preliminary data.

FILE - Containers are piled up in the harbor in Hamburg, Germany, on Oct. 26, 2022. (AP Photo/Michael Probst, file)