Astros relief pitcher Will Harris is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Thursday’s American League Championship Series Game 4 win over the Yankees.
Harris struck out two in a scoreless and hitless seventh inning, allowing no walks. Harris did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision. The win went to reliever Ryan Pressly, who exited after the fifth inning with the Astros leading.
The Astros take a 3-1 lead over the Yankees in the best-of-seven series, which resumes Friday in New York.
Harris earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point in 2019, earning Player of the Game honors Sept. 6.
Harris had a Box-Toppers game score Thursday of +3.0. Here’s how he became Player of the Game Thursday: Usually, to be considered for Player of the Game honors, a pitcher must appear in at least three innings or earn the win or save. Harris did none of those things. Starter Zack Greinke appeared in more than three innings and had a Box-Toppers game score of +0.1 (4.1IP 3H R 4BB 5K ND). Ryan Pressly, who relieved Greinke, earned the win and a Box-Toppers game score of +1.2 (0.2IP 0H 0R BB 2K W). Because Pressly earned the win, he became the leader for Player of the Game honors, even though he only pitched 2/3 of an inning.
No batters had a higher Box-Toppers game score than Pressly’s +1.2. Outfielder George Springer and shortstop Carlos Correa both had Box-Toppers game scores of 0.0, highest among Astros batters and both had identical line scores (HR 1-5 R 3BI).
Box-Toppers gives Player of the Game consideration to non-decision pitchers who did not have at least three innings pitched if they had the same or more innings pitched as the pitcher who otherwise would earn Player of the Game honors. All four other Astros relievers had at least as many innings pitched as Pressly, the leader for Player of the Game. Among the four, Harris had the highest Box-Toppers game score of +3.0, making him Player of the Game.
Here’s a look at the game scores of the other three relievers:
Josh James had a game score of -4.0 (1IP 2H 2R BB 2K ND).
Joe Smith had a game score of +2.2 (0.2IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K ND).
Closer Roberto Osuna had a game score of +0.1 (1.1IP 0H 0R BB 0K ND).
Yankees starting pitcher Masahiro Tanaka had a Box-Toppers game score of -7.0 (5IP 4H 4R 3ER 2BB K L). Tanaka was Player of the Game in the Yankees’ ALCS Game 1 win.
Top player from each game
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score (BTG)| BTG | Game | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +3.0 | `HOU 8, NYY 3 | Will Harris (H, 3) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
` Pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Coming Friday:
ALCS Game 5: Astros lead Yankees, 3-1
The pitching matchup Friday is a rematch of Game 2 won by the Astros:
Astros—Justin Verlander, 27.5 Box-Toppers points, second among all players, second among AL pitchers.
Verlander has earned Player of the Game honors twice this postseason in three appearances. He was Player of the Game in the AL Division Series Game 1 win over the Rays on Oct. 4 and in the ALCS Game 2 win over the Yankees on Oct. 13. He also started in the ALDS Game 4 loss to the Rays on Oct. 8.
Yankees—James Paxton, 14.1 Box-Toppers points, 19th among all players, eighth among AL pitchers.
Paxton has not earned Player of the Game honors in his two 2019 postseason starts. Paxton started in the ALDS Game 1 win against the Twins on Oct. 4, but did not earn Player of the Game honors (that went to DJ LeMahieu). He also started in the ALCS Game 2 loss to the Astros on Oct. 13.
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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