| Rank | Date | BTP | Score | Team | BATTERS | AB | R | H | BI | HR | 3B | 2B |
| 149 | 7/2 | 1.7 | 10.0 | LAA 21, BOS 2 | C.J. Cron, 1B | 6 | 5 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 150 | 8/14 | 1.5 | 10.0 | BOS 16, ARI 2 | Mookie Betts, RF | 6 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 151 | 6/27 | 2.0 | 10.0 | CHC 11, CIN 8 | Kris Bryant, 3B-RF-LF | 5 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| 216 | 7/8 | 2.0 | 9.0 | LAD 10, SD 6 | Yasmani Grandal, C | 5 | 3 | 5 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 217 | 8/18 | 2.0 | 9.0 | CHC 9, MIL 6 | Kris Bryant, 3B | 5 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 218 | 6/17 | 1.7 | 9.0 | TOR 13, BAL 3 | Michael Saunders, LF | 5 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 219 | 5/25 | 1.7 | 9.0 | SEA 13, OAK 3 | Adam Lind, 1B | 4 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 220 | 8/6 | 2.0 | 9.0 | MIL 15, ARI 6 | Ryan Braun, LF | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 309 | 8/22 | 1.7 | 8.0 | LAD 18, CIN 9 | Adrian Gonzalez, 1B | 6 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 310 | 4/13 | 1.5 | 8.0 | COL 10, SF 6 | Nolan Arenado, 3B | 5 | 2 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 311 | 6/18 | 2.0 | 8.0 | KC 16, DET 5 | Kendrys Morales, DH | 5 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 312 | 5/7 | 2.0 | 8.0 | MIL 13, CIN 7 | Aaron Hill, 3B | 5 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 313 | 7/23 | 1.5 | 8.0 | COL 8, ATL 4 | Trevor Story, SS | 4 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
| 314 | 7/20 | 1.5 | 8.0 | BOS 11, SF 7 | Hanley Ramirez, 1B | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| 315 | 8/17 | 1.7 | 8.0 | ARI 13, NYM 5 | Yasmany Tomas, RF | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
| 316 | 8/14 | 1.5 | 8.0 | MIL 7, CIN 3 | Ryan Braun, LF | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 |
| 317 | 4/7 | 2.0 | 8.0 | CHC 15, ARI 6 | Anthony Rizzo, 1B | 4 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 318 | 7/19 | 1.5 | 8.0 | LAA 8, TEX 6 | Albert Pujols, DH | 3 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 0 |
C.J. Cron of the Angels had highest Box-Toppers game score among batters in 2016
C.J. Cron of the Angels had the best single-game performance as a batter in the 2016 season as measured by Box-Toppers game score.
On July 2, Cron hit two homers and doubled, going 6-for-6, scoring five times and driving in six runs, in the 21-2 win over the Red Sox.
Cron had a Box-Toppers game score of +10.0, one of three batters to achieve that score during the season; Cron had the best game score based on Box-Toppers tie-breakers.
Most Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors in 2016
Here are the 12 players who earned Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors three or more times in 2016. Three players each earned seven Player of the Day honors, leading all players for 2016. They were Box-Toppers top-three ranked players for the season—Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw and Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez. Players are listed here by number of times they earned Player of the Day (PoD). Also listed are their Box-Toppers point (BTP) totals for 2016 and their rank among all players in Box-Toppers points.| PoD | Player | Team | BTP | Rank |
| 7 | Max Scherzer | Nationals | 25.7 | 1 |
| 7 | Clayton Kershaw | Dodgers | 24.4 | 2 |
| 7 | Jose Fernandez* | Marlins | 22.4 | 3 |
| 5 | Jake Arrieta | Cubs | 15.7 | 9 |
| 4 | Noah Syndergaard | Mets | 16.7 | 7 |
| 4 | Carlos Carrasco | Indians | 12.4 | 28 |
| 3 | Corey Kluber | Indians | 21.2 | 5 |
| 3 | Justin Verlander | Tigers | 14.7 | 12 |
| 3 | Jason Hammel | Cubs | 13.0 | 20 |
| 3 | Michael Fulmer | Tigers | 12.7 | 23 |
| 3 | Steven Matz | Mets | 12.1 | 32 |
| 3 | Yu Darvish | Rangers | 10.4 | 51 |
There were 18 batters who had a Box-Toppers game score of +8.0 or more during the season shown in the chart. While they had the best single-game performances among batters in 2016, pitchers often had better game scores. In fact, pitchers earned the top 148 Box-Toppers game scores of 2016. Batters are shown in the chart with their overall rank among the 2,428 games played in 2016. For example, Cron, who had the top game score for a batter, had the 149th-best overall Box-Toppers game score.
All but one of the 18 batters listed here hit a home run in their game with the high Box-Toppers game score. Sixteen of the batters listed had at least two home runs and seven hit three homers.
Cron had the highest Box-Toppers game score for a batter in 2016 based on tiebreakers. He either had more hits or more at bats than the other batters with a Box-Toppers game score of +10.0. The two others who had game scores of +10.0, ranked by tiebreaker are:
- Mookie Betts of the Red Sox, who on Aug. 14, hit three homers and went 4-for-6, scoring four times and driving in eight runs, in the 16-2 win over the Diamondbacks. Betts finished behind Cron because he had fewer hits (six vs. four).
- Kris Bryant of the Cubs, who on June 27, hit three homers, two doubles and went 5-for-5, scoring four times and driving in six runs, in the 11-8 win over the Reds. Bryant finished behind both Cron and Betts because he had fewer at bats (five vs. six).
While Cron had the best Box-Toppers game score for a batter all season, it was not the best game score of the day. Consequently, Cron did not earn Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors worth 2.0 Box-Toppers points—he did earn American League Player of the Day honors worth 1.7 points. On July 2, Cron finished behind overall Player of the Day, Dodgers pitcher Scott Kazmir, who had a Box-Toppers game score of +13.0, ranked 65th-best performance of 2016.
To put Cron’s performance in context, here are the pitchers who ranked just above and just below Cron’s July 2 game in Box-Toppers game score for the season:
- Ranked 148th with a Box-Toppers game score of +10.1 was Dodgers pitcher Kenta Maeda on April 23. Maeda pitched 6 1/3 scoreless innings, giving up three hits, one walk an striking out eight in the 4-1 win over the Rockies. Maeda had the third-highest Box-Toppers game score of April 23 and earned only Player of the Game honors (worth 1.0 Box-Toppers point) and did not earn bonus points for overall or league Player of the Day.
- Ranked 152nd with a Box-Toppers game score of +10.0 is Justin Verlander of the Tigers on July 30. Verlander pitched a complete game, striking out 11 and allowing two runs on five hits and one walk, in the 3-2 win over the Astros. Verlander had the second-highest Box-Toppers game score of July 30 and earned only Player of the Game honors (worth 1.0 Box-Toppers point) and did not earn bonus points for overall or league Player of the Day. While Cron and Verlander are tied with Box-Toppers game scores of +10.0, Cron wins the tiebreaker and ranks higher because in cases of game score ties, batters rank ahead of pitchers.
Seven of 18 earn Player of the Day honors
While Bryant’s June 27 Box-Toppers game score of +10.0 ranks third based on tiebreakers, he is the only one of the three batters with a score of +10.0 to earn Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors. Cron, mentioned previously, had the second-highest Box-Toppers game score of July 2 and earned AL Player of the Day honors worth 1.7 points. Betts had the third-highest Box-Toppers game score of Aug. 14, finishing behind two pitchers, and earned AL Batter of the Day honors worth 1.5 Box-Toppers points.
Only seven players among the 18 listed here earned Box-Toppers Player of the Day honors worth 2.0 Box-Toppers points. In addition to Bryant on June 27, these batters on the list also had the top Box-Toppers game score of all that day’s Box-Toppers Players of the Game:
- Yasmani Grandal of the Dodgers. On July 8, Grandal led all Players of the Day with a game score of +9.0, the fourth-highest for a batter in 2016 and the 216th-highest for a player during the season. Grandal hit three homers and went 5-for-5, scoring three times and driving in six runs in the 10-6 win over the Padres.
- Bryant of the Cubs, in a separate game. On Aug. 18, Bryant led all Players of the Day with a game score of +9.0, the fifth-highest for a batter in 2016 and the 217th-highest for a player during the season. Bryant hit two homers, doubled and went 5-for-5, scoring four times and driving in five runs, in the 9-6 win over the Brewers.
- Ryan Braun of the Brewers. On Aug. 6, Braun led all Players of the Day with a game score of +9.0, the eighth-highest for a batter in 2016 and the 220th-highest for a player during the season. Braun hit two home runs and went 3-for-4, scoring three times and driving in seven runs, in the 15-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
- Kendrys Morales of the Royals. On June 18, Morales led all Players of the Day with a game score of +8.0, the 11th-highest for a batter in 2016 and the 311th-highest for a player during the season. Morales doubled twice and went 4-for-5, scoring four times and driving in five runs, in the 16-5 win over the Tigers. Morales is the only batter listed here who made the list of 18 top Box-Toppers game scores for a batter without hitting a home run.
- Aaron Hill of the Brewers (who later in the season played for the Red Sox). On May 7, Hill led all Players of the Day with a game score of +8.0, the 12th-highest for a batter in 2016 and the 312th-highest for a player during the season. Hill hit three homers and went 3-for-5, scoring three times and driving in seven runs, in the 13-7 win over the Reds.
- Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs. On April 7, Rizzo led all Players of the Day with a game score of +8.0, the 17th-highest for a batter in 2016 and the 317th-highest for a player during the season. Rizzo homered, tripled and went 3-for-4, scoring three times and driving in six runs, in the 15-6 win over the Diamondbacks.
In all 18 top single-game performances for batters in 2016, all earned Box-Toppers bonus points. The seven batters listed previously earning Player of the Day honors earned 2.0 total Box-Toppers points. Five others earned league Player of the Day honors worth 1.7 Box-Toppers points and the remaining six earned league Batter of the Day honors worth 1.5 Box-Toppers points.
Bryant and Braun both make list twice
Two players make this list twice—Kris Bryant of the Cubs and Ryan Braun of the Brewers:
- Bryant ranks third (+10.0 on June 27) and fifth (+9.0 on Aug. 18), earning 4.0 total Box-Toppers points for both games.
- Braun ranks eighth (+9.0 on Aug. 6) and 16th (+8.0 on Aug. 14), earning 3.5 total Box-Toppers points for both games.
Box-Toppers game score leaders among Box-Toppers points leaders
Bryant and Braun were among Box-Toppers points leaders among National League batters in 2016–both had 10.5 points. Bryant ranked second over third-place Braun because he had more 2015 points (8.5 vs. 5.0). Overall leader in Box-Toppers points among NL batters for 2016, Nolan Arenado of the Rockies (10.7 points), had the 10th-highest Box-Toppers game score for a batter in 2016 (+8.0 on April 13). Morales is the highest-ranked AL batter in Box-Toppers points for 2016 to be among the season’s top 18 Box-Toppers game scores by a batter. Morales, who had the 11th-highest game score for a batter in 2016 (+8.0 on June 18) had 8.5 Box-Toppers points in 2016, 12th among AL batters.
Conversely, Cron, who had the single-game highest Box-Toppers game score of any batter in 2016 had the second-fewest Box-Toppers points for the season of any of the 18 listed here. Cron had only 3.7 Box-Toppers points in 2016. He was Player of the Game only two other times in 2016—on May 31 (with a Box-Toppers game score of +5.0), in the Angels’ 11-9 win over the Tigers and on Aug. 30 (with a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0), in the 4-2 win over the Reds.
The only player among the 18 listed who had fewer 2016 Box-Toppers points than Cron was Anthony Rizzo of the Cubs, who had 3.0. Rizzo was Player of the Game in only one other game in 2016—on May 4 (with a Box-Toppers game score of +2.0), in the Cubs’ 6-2 win over the Pirates.
Box-Toppers game score leaders who hit three home runs
There are seven players on the list who hit three home runs in a game:
- Betts, ranked second with a Box-Toppers game score of +10.0 on Aug. 14.
- Bryant, ranked third with a game score of +10.0 on June 27.
- Grandal, ranked fourth with a game score of +9.0 on July 8.
- Michael Saunders of the Blue Jays, ranked sixth with a game score of +9.0 on June 17.
- Adrian Gonzalez of the Dodgers, ranked ninth with a game score of +8.0 on Aug. 22.
- Hill, ranked 12th with a game score of +8.0 on May 7.
- Hanley Ramirez of the Red Sox, ranked 14th with a game score of +8.0 on July 20.
Breaking a four-way tie
Four players who had the 14th- to 17th-best Box-Toppers game score for batters in 2016 had identical Box-Toppers game scores of +8.0 and nearly identical line scores: All went 3-for-4, scoring three times and driving in six runs. Box-Toppers tie-breaking rules ranked them this way:
- Ranked 14th (314th overall) Ramirez of the Red Sox, ranked highest of the four because he had the most home runs (three) in his +8.0 Box-Toppers game score day on July 20.
- Ranked 15th (315th overall) Yasmany Tomas of the Diamondbacks ranked behind Ramirez because he had one fewer home run (two) than Ramirez. Tomas also hit a triple in his +8.0 Box-Toppers game score day on Aug. 17.
- Ranked 16th (316th overall) Braun of the Brewers had two homers, same as Tomas. But he ranked behind Tomas, who hit a triple; Braun hit a double in his +8.0 Box-Toppers game score day on Aug. 14.
- Ranked 17th (317th overall) Rizzo of the Cubs ranked lowest of the four because he had the fewest home runs (one) in his +8.0 Box-Toppers game score day on April 7. Rizzo also hit a double.
Six other batters also had Box-Toppers game scores of +8.0 in 2016. Four ranked ahead of the four just mentioned—Adrian Gonzalez, Nolan Arenado, Kendrys Morales and Aaron Hill—because they had more at bats. One other batter, Trevor Story, ranked ahead because even though he had the same at bat total (four), he had more hits (four vs. three). One batter ranked behind them (Albert Pujols of the Angels) because he had one fewer at bat (three) when he earned a +8.0 Box-Toppers game score on July 19. Pujols hit two homers and went 3-for-3, scoring twice and driving in six runs.
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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