Marlins' Jose Fernandez (8IP 0R 14K) tops players for Tuesday, April 22; Pujols hits 500th HR, moves into Box-Toppers all-time top 10 list

Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez is Tuesday’s Player of the Day, while Albert Pujols of the Angels—who hit his 500th career homer—cracked the all-time Box-Toppers Top 10 player rankings.

Fernandez pitched eight scoreless innings, striking out 14, in the 1-0 win over the Braves. He moves up to third place in Box-Toppers player rankings for the season. He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 5.0 for the season. (See updated Top 10 Box-Toppers player rankings for 2014 on the home page.)

Pujols meanwhile earned American League Batter of the Day honors, hitting two home runs—his career 499th and 500th—and drove in five runs in the 7-2 win over the Nationals. 

Pujols earns 1.5 Box-Toppers points for being AL Batter of the Day, giving him 161.3 for his career. He moves into 10th place on Box-Toppers all-time player rankings (record keeping began in 1995), passing John Smoltz (160.9). This was Pujols’ first Box-Toppers points of the season and the first time he has earned Player of the Game honors since July 25, 2013.

Astros pitcher Collin McHugh is AL Player of the Day. McHugh struck out 12 over 6 2/3 scoreless innings in the 5-2 win over the Mariners. This was McHugh’s Box-Toppers debut, the first time he has earned Player of the Game honors. He is the 3,316th player to debut on Box-Toppers since record keeping began in 1995.

No National League batter earned Player of the Game honors Tuesday, so there is no NL Batter of the Day.

Notable: Cardinals pitcher Adam Wainwright moves into second place on Box-Toppers player rankings for the season. Wainwright (7IP 0R W in 3-0 win vs. Mets) earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point for being Player of the Game, giving him 5.0 for the season. (See updated Top 10 Box-Toppers player rankings for 2014 on the home page.)

Fernandez receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. McHugh receives 1.7 for AL Player of the Day. Pujols receives 1.5 for being AL Batter of the Day.

All of Tuesday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.

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

422ScoreTeamPlayerABRHBIBBKIPHRERBBK
MLB19.0MarlinsJose Fernandez (W, 3-1)------8.0300014
AL15.2AstrosCollin McHugh (W, 1-0)------6.2300012

8.0RaysDavid Price (W, 3-1)------9.0633112
6.0CardinalsAdam Wainwright (W, 4-1)------7.040003
BAT5.0AngelsAlbert Pujols 1B422501------
5.0RedsJohnny Cueto (W, 2-2)------9.031134
5.0RockiesFranklin Morales (W, 2-1)------7.051127
5.0CubsJason Hammel (W, 3-1)------7.041104
5.0RoyalsJames Shields (W, 2-2)------6.062119
3.1YankeesMasahiro Tanaka (W, 3-0)------7.172207
2.0TigersMiguel Cabrera 1B513301------
2.0Blue JaysBrett Lawrie 3B311301------
2.0PadresDonn Roach (W, 1-0)------2.010012
2.0PhilliesAntonio Bastardo (W, 3-1)------1.010002
2.0RangersJoakim Soria (S, 5)------1.000001