Dodgers pitcher Kenley Jansen and Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals are Box-Toppers Players of the Game in Saturday’s pair of National League League Division Series games.
NLDS Game 2: Dodgers 8, Diamondbacks 5
Jansen pitched a five-out save, striking out two over 1 2/3 innings and allowing no hits, runs or walks.
Jansen had 7.0 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, 102nd among all players, 34th among NL pitchers and second among NL closing pitchers, behind Greg Holland of the Rockies (8.0). Jansen leads NL closers over the past two seasons with 13.0 points in 2016 and 2017, ahead of second-place Fernando Rodney of the Diamondbacks (12.0).
Jansen had a Box-Toppers game score Saturday of +3.2, highest among all Dodgers players. Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes (2B 2-3 2R 2BI) had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Dodgers batters (+3.0).
Diamondbacks starting pitcher Robbie Ray (16.0 Box-Toppers points in 2017, ranked 10th among all players) had a Box-Toppers game score Saturday of -5.9 (4.1IP 4H 4R 4BB 6K L).
The Dodgers now lead the best-of-five game series, 2-0, which resumes Monday in Arizona.
NLDS Game 2: Nationals 6, Cubs 3
Ryan Zimmerman of the Nationals hit a three-run homer and went 2-for-4, giving him a Box-Toppers game score of +2.0, most among Nationals players.
Zimmerman had 7.2 Box-Toppers points on the season, 93rd among all players, 17th among NL batters and fifth among NL first basemen.
Nationals closing pitcher Sean Doolittle had the highest Box-Toppers game score (+1.0) among Nationals pitchers (1IP H 0R 0BB K Sv).
Cubs starting pitcher Jon Lester (10.7 Box-Toppers points, 33rd among all players, 16th among NL pitchers) had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.0 (6IP 2H R 2BB 2K ND).
The best-of-five-game series is now tied, 1-1, and resumes Monday in Chicago.
Top player from each game
| BTG | Game | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| 3.2 | LAD 8, ARI 5 | Kenley Jansen S (1) | - | - | - | - | 1.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |
| 2.0 | WSH 6, CHC 3 | Ryan Zimmerman 1B | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Coming Sunday: The two AL Division Series resume with Game 3s:
AL Division Series Game 3, Astros lead Red Sox, 2-0
The pitching matchup Sunday:
Astros—Brad Peacock, 7.4 Box-Toppers points, 92nd among all players, 30th among AL pitchers.
Red Sox—Doug Fister, 5.0 Box-Toppers points, 199th among all players, 53rd among AL pitchers.
AL Division Series Game 3, Indians lead Yankees, 2-0
The pitching matchup Sunday:
Indians—Carlos Carrasco, 21.8 Box-Toppers points, sixth among all players, third among AL pitchers.
Yankees—Masahiro Tanaka, 11.4 Box-Toppers points, 23rd among all players, eighth among AL pitchers.
Designated hitter Edwin Encarnacion of the Indians who led AL batters in Box-Toppers points in 2017 (12.1) left Game 2 of the series after spraining his ankle. His status for Game 3 was uncertain several hours prior to Game 3, but he has not been taken off the Indians’ postseason roster. He has been listed as day-to-day.
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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