Nationals pitcher Doug Fister is Friday’s Player of the Day, while Indians pitcher Corey Kluber has now earned more than 25 Box-Toppers points, only the 20th time in 20 seasons a player has reached that threshold.
Most BTP single season
Corey Kluber of the Indians is now tied for the 17th-best single season in Box-Toppers history (dating back to 1995), with 25.8 Box-Toppers points. It is the 20th time in 20 seasons a player has passed 25 Box-Toppers points and the second time this season—Clayton Kershaw has 31.5.| Rank | Player | Team | Pos | Year | BTP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2000 | 33.7 |
| 1 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 33.7 |
| 3 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2000 | 33.5 |
| 4 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 1999 | 31.5 |
| 4 | *Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2014 | 31.5 |
| 6 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 1999 | 31.4 |
| 7 | Randy Johnson | Dbacks | pi sp | 2001 | 29.4 |
| 8 | Pedro Martinez | Red Sox | pi sp | 2002 | 28.8 |
| 9 | Curt Schilling | Dbacks | pi sp | 2002 | 28.4 |
| 10 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1997 | 27.4 |
| 11 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2004 | 26.8 |
| 12 | Pedro Martinez | Expos | pi sp | 1997 | 26.7 |
| 12 | CC Sabathia | Indians/Brewers | pi sp | 2008 | 26.7 |
| 14 | Randy Johnson | Mariners/Astros | pi sp | 1998 | 26.4 |
| 15 | John Smoltz | Braves | pi sp | 1996 | 26.1 |
| 15 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | pi sp | 2011 | 26.1 |
| 17 | Roger Clemens | Blue Jays | pi sp | 1998 | 25.8 |
| 17 | *Corey Kluber | Indians | pi sp | 2014 | 25.8 |
| 19 | Johan Santana | Twins | pi sp | 2006 | 25.7 |
| 20 | Cliff Lee | Phillies | pi sp | 2011 | 25.4 |
* Current season
BTP: Box-Toppers points
Fister pitched a complete game, three-hit shutout, striking out nine and walking none, in the 4-0 win over the Marlins. Fister earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 14.4 for the season. He ranks 18th among all players and ninth among National League pitchers.
Kluber extended his lead among American League pitchers and maintained his overall No. 2-ranking in Box-Toppers points after earning AL Player of the Day honors Friday. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Kluber pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out 11 in the 1-0 win over the Rays. He earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points for being AL Player of the Day, giving him 25.8 for the season.
Kluber is now all but assured to be Box-Toppers’ AL Player of the Year and top AL pitcher. With two days left in the season, he leads second-place AL player, Tigers pitcher Max Scherzer (22.1 Box-Toppers points) by 3.7 points.
Kluber now also has the 17th most Box-Toppers points earned in a single season since Box-Toppers record keeping began in 1995. His 25.8 points is tied for 17th place on the “all-time” list with Roger Clemens, who also had 25.8 points with the Blue Jays in 1998. Kluber’s 25.8 points marks the 20th time in 20 seasons a player has earned 25 or more Box-Toppers points. It is the second time this season—Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has 31.5.
Justin Bour of the Marlins is NL Batter of the Day. Bour went 3-for-4, scored four times and drove in two runs, in the 15-7 win over the Nationals. This was Bour’s Box-Toppers debut, the first time he has earned Player of the Game honors. He is the 3,433rd player to debut in Box-Toppers since record keeping began in 1995. Bour made his Major League debut June 5 and was playing in his 37th game.
Brian Dozier of the Twins is AL Batter of the Day. Dozier homered and went 3-for-5, scoring three times and driving in three runs, in the 11-4 win over the Tigers.
Notables: Athletics pitcher Scott Kazmir ranks 15th in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Friday. Kazmir (7IP 5K W in the 6-2 win over the Rangers) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 15.1 for the season. He ranks eighth among AL pitchers.
Blue Jays pitcher Marcus Stroman ranks 22nd in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Friday. Stroman (4IP 0R 4K Sv in the 4-2 win over the Orioles) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 13.7 for the season. He ranks ninth among AL pitchers.
Mariners pitcher Hisashi Iwakuma ranks 34th in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Friday. Iwakuma (6.1IP W in the 4-3 win over the Angels) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 12.0 for the season. He ranks 19th among AL pitchers.
Fister receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Kluber receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Bour and Dozier each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Friday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed, click here.
Box-Toppers tracks who most helps their team win the most games. Using standard box score statistics, Box-Toppers uses a simple formula to determine a Player of the Game for each Major League Baseball game played. That player is the person who contributed most to his team’s win. Players earn Box-Toppers points for being named Player of the Game and can earn bonus points for being Player of the Day or top player or batter in their league for the day.
Top player from each game
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 926 | Score | Team | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 15.0 | Nationals | Doug Fister (W, 16-6) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 9.0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | |
| AL | 12.0 | Indians | Corey Kluber (W, 18-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 11 | |
| 8.0 | Royals | Jeremy Guthrie (W, 13-11) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 7.0 | Blue Jays | Marcus Stroman (S, 1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 6.2 | Yankees | Chris Capuano (W, 3-4) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | ||
| 6.0 | Padres | Ian Kennedy (W, 13-13) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | ||
| BAT | 5.0 | Marlins | Justin Bour 1B | 4 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 5.0 | Athletics | Scott Kazmir (W, 15-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 | ||
| BAT | 4.0 | Twins | Brian Dozier 2B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3.2 | `Astros | Brad Peacock | - | - | - | - | - | - | 4.2 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 7 | ||
| 2.1 | Mariners | Hisashi Iwakuma (W, 15-9) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 2.0 | Cubs | Javier Baez SS | 5 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2.0 | Dodgers | Darwin Barney PH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2.0 | Pirates | Mark Melancon (S, 33) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 1.0 | Cardinals | Jhonny Peralta SS | 5 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 1.0 | Phillies | Cody Asche 3B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.