Astros pitcher Justin Verlander and Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen are Box-Toppers Players of the Game in Saturday’s two League Championship Series games.
ALCS Game 2: Astros 2, Yankees 1
Astros pitcher Justin Verlander pitched a complete game, striking out 13 and allowing one run, five hits and one walk, as Houston takes a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Verlander had 14.7 Box-Toppers points in 2017, ranked 16th among all players, sixth among AL pitchers. It is his first Player of the Game honor of the postseason.
Verlander had a Box-Toppers game score Saturday of +14.0, highest among Astros players. Carlos Correa had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Astros batters, +2.0 (HR 2B 2-3 R 2BI).
Yankees starting pitcher Luis Severino, 21.1 Box-Toppers points, seventh among all players, fourth among AL pitchers, had a Box-Toppers game score of -2.0 (4IP 2H R 2BB 0K ND). Severino has the highest Box-Toppers point total of any player on either team in the series.
The series resumes Monday in New York with Game 3.
See Box-Toppers ALCS series preview with player-by-player matchups.
NLCS Game 1: Dodgers 5, Cubs 2
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen struck out four over 1 1/3 innings, allowing no hits, no runs and no walks as the Dodgers won the first game in the best-of-seven game series.
Jansen had 7.0 Box-Toppers points on the season, ranked 102nd among all players, 34th among NL pitchers and second among NL closers, behind Greg Holland of the Rockies (8.0). It is the second time this postseason Jansen has earned Player of the Game honors (NLDS Game 2 in the 8-5 win over the Diamondbacks).
Jansen had a Box-Toppers game score Saturday of +5.1, highest among Dodgers players. Yasiel Puig had the highest game score among Dodgers batters of +1.0 (HR 2B 2-4 R 2BI). Dodgers starter Clayton Kershaw (23.1 Box-Toppers points, third among all players, second among AL pitchers) had a Box-Toppers game score of 0.0 (5IP 4H 2R BB 4K ND).
Jose Quintana, Cubs starting pitcher (15.0 Box-Toppers points, 15th among all players, ninth among NL pitchers) had a Box-Toppers game score Saturday of +1.0 (5IP 2H 2R 2BB 4K ND).
The series resumes Sunday in Los Angeles with Game 2.
Top player from each game
| BTG | Game | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| 14.0 | HOU 2, NYY 1 | Justin Verlander W (1-0) | - | - | - | - | 9.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 13 | |
| 5.1 | LAD 5, CHC 2 | Kenley Jansen S (1) | - | - | - | - | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Coming Sunday:
National League Championship Series Game 2, Dodgers lead Cubs, 1-0
The pitching matchup:
Cubs—Jon Lester, 10.7 Box-Toppers points, 33rd among all players, 16th among NL pitchers.
Dodgers—Rich Hill, 12.7 Box-Toppers points, 21st among all players, 12th among NL pitchers.
Lester has appeared in two games in the postseason and did not earn Player of the Game in either:
- NLDS Game 2 on Oct. 7—Lester started and had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.0 (6IP 2H R 2BB 2K ND) in the 6-3 loss to the Nationals.
- NLDS Game 4 on Oct. 11—Lester appeared in relief and had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.2 (3.2IP H R BB 3K ND) in the 5-0 loss to the Nationals.
Hill has appeared in one game in the postseason and did not earn Player of the Game:
- NLDS Game 2 on Oct. 7—Hill started and had a Box-Toppers game score of -2.0 (4IP 3H 2R 3BB 4K W) in the 8-5 win over the Diamondbacks. Player of the Game was teammate Kenley Jansen with a Box-Toppers game score of +3.2.
See Box-Toppers NLCS series preview with player-by-player matchups.
About Box-Toppers—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. In regular season games, players earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point 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.
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Box-Toppers
Tracking who most helps their teams win the most games, based on box score stats. A method to measure & compare baseball's top players.
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.