Braves, Astros, Mariners among leaders in Box-Toppers offseason team rankings

Shawn Plank January 18, 2024

The Atlanta Braves are Box-Toppers’ top-ranked team going into 2024, with a roster mostly intact from 2023 when they had baseball’s best record.

Meanwhile, the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are Box-Toppers’ top two American League teams, with the Mariners having one of the best offseason improvements of any team so far. And also, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have made big offseason splashes adding Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Teoscar Hernandez, their offseason ranking has actually fallen from third place last season to fourth place now.

Blue Jays’ Bassitt tops players for Thursday, Sept. 28, passing Ohtani to lead AL pitchers

Shawn Plank September 29, 2023

Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt is Thursday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to second in season player rankings and passing Shohei Ohtani to lead American League pitchers.

Bassitt struck out 12 over 7 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing five hits and one walk, in the 6-0 win over the Yankees.

White Sox’ Cease tops players for Saturday, Sept. 23; Cubs’ Assad tops NL players

Shawn Plank September 24, 2023

White Sox pitcher Dylan Cease is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Cease struck out 11 over seven scoreless innings, allowing six hits and no walks, in the 1-0 win over the Red Sox.

Yankees’ Judge tops players for Friday, Sept. 22; Blue Jays’ Bassitt rises to 4th

Shawn Plank September 23, 2023

Aaron Judge of the Yankees is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Friday, Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt rises to fourth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Tigers’ Skubal tops players for Thursday, Sept. 21; Yankees’ Cole rises to 10th

Shawn Plank September 22, 2023

Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal is Thursday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Thursday, Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole rises to 10th place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

White Sox’ Clevinger tops players for Monday, Sept. 18; Phillies’ Wheeler rises to 10th

Shawn Plank September 19, 2023

White Sox pitcher Mike Clevinger is Monday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Monday, Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler rises to 10th place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Yankees’ Cole tops players for Sunday, Sept. 10, rising to 10th in player rankings

Shawn Plank September 10, 2023

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to 10th in season player rankings.

Cole struck out nine over seven scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks, in the 4-3, 13-inning win over the Brewers. Cole did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision, because the game was in a scoreless tie when he exited.

Rangers’ Garver tops players for Sunday, Sept. 3; Dodgers’ Miller tops NL players

Shawn Plank September 3, 2023

Mitch Garver of the Rangers is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Garver hit two home runs, including a three-run shot, in the 6-5 win over the Twins. Garver went 4-for-4, scoring twice and driving in four runs.

Mets lead 2023 Box-Toppers preseason team rankings; Yankees top AL teams

Shawn Plank March 21, 2023

The New York Mets are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2023 preseason rankings.

Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the World Series champion Houston Astros saw the biggest decline.

A look at Box-Toppers top 100 players of ‘all-time’ after the 2022 season

Shawn Plank February 17, 2023

Could 2023 be the season Clayton Kershaw passes Randy Johnson for the “all-time” lead in career Box-Toppers points?

Or could this coming season be the year when Kershaw loses the lead among active players in career Box-Toppers points to either Max Scherzer or Justin Verlander?

Verlander rises from 6th to 5th on Box-Toppers’ ‘all-time’ top 10 list during 2022

Shawn Plank January 9, 2023

During the 2022 season, Justin Verlander rose from sixth to fifth place on Box-Toppers “all-time” career points top 10 list.

It was the only player movement among Box-Toppers “all-time” career points top 10 players overall, among the top 10 pitchers and among the top 10 batters. Retired pitcher Randy Johnson still leads all players in career Box-Toppers points with 282.5 (tracking began in 1995).

Yankees, Mets lead Box-Toppers offseason team rankings, landing biggest free agents

Shawn Plank December 15, 2022

The New York Yankees and New York Mets lead Box-Toppers offseason rankings after landing the winter’s two biggest free agents.

The Yankees rank first after Carlos Rodon Thursday agreed to a free agent deal. Rodon earned 19.8 Box-Toppers points in 2022 with the Giants, sixth overall and third among National League pitchers. He ranked second among all free agents going into the 2023 season.

A Box-Toppers preview of the four Wild Card Series that begin Friday, Oct. 7

Shawn Plank October 6, 2022

The new Wild Card round of Major League Baseball’s postseason begins Friday with four best-of-three series. Here is a Box-Toppers look at the eight teams competing in the four Wild Card round series.

Diamondbacks’ Gallen tops players for Thursday, Aug. 18; Gallen, Fried rise in top 10

Shawn Plank August 19, 2022

Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen is Thursday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to 10th place in season player rankings.

Also Thursday, Braves pitcher Max Fried rises to seventh place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Blue Jays’ Gausman tops players for Tuesday, Aug. 2; Braves’ Strider tops NL players

Shawn Plank August 3, 2022

Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Gausman struck out 10 over eight scoreless innings, allowing one hit and one walk, in the 3-1 win over the Rays.

Cardinals’ Wainwright tops players for Wednesday, July 27; Angels’ Junk tops AL players

Shawn Plank July 28, 2022

Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Wainwright struck out eight over seven innings, allowing one run, five hits and no walks, in the 6-1 win over the Blue Jays.

Rockies’ Kuhl tops players for Monday, June 27; Blue Jays’ Gausman tops AL players

Shawn Plank June 28, 2022

Rockies pitcher Chad Kuhl is Monday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Kuhl pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout, striking out five and walking none, in the 4-0 win over the Dodgers.

Cardinals’ Wainwright tops players for Tuesday, May 31; Rangers’ Perez rises to 5th

Shawn Plank June 1, 2022

Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Tuesday, Rangers pitcher Martin Perez rises to fifth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning American League Player of the Day honors.

Rays’ Kluber tops players for Wednesday, May 4, rising to 4th in player rankings

Shawn Plank May 5, 2022

Rays pitcher Corey Kluber is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to fourth place in season player rankings.

Kluber struck out seven over six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk, in the 3-0 win over the Athletics. Kluber did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision, because the game was in a scoreless tie when he exited.

Braves’ Fried tops players for Tuesday, April 19; Padres’ Musgrove rises to lead player rankings

Shawn Plank April 20, 2022

Braves pitcher Max Fried is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Tuesday, Padres pitcher Joe Musgrove rises to first place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors. Two other players—C.J. Cron of the Rockies and Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes—rise into the top 10 in Box-Toppers points for 2022. Plus, two players extend long streaks of consecutive seasons earning Box-Toppers points—Mets pitcher Max Scherzer (14 seasons) and Kurt Suzuki of the Angels (16 seasons).