Braves relief pitcher A.J. Minter is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Tuesday’s World Series Game 1.
The Atlanta Braves win 6-2 to take a 1-0 lead over the Houston Astros in the best-of-seven games series.
Minter struck out three over 2 2/3 innings, allowing one run, three hits and no walks. This is Minter’s second Box-Toppers Player of the Game honor of the 2021 postseason. He is now one of four players to win Player of the Game honors twice during this season’s playoffs.
Minter entered with one out in the third inning after starter Charlie Morton exited with what turned out to be a fractured right fibula.
An inning earlier, Morton was hit in that spot of his leg by a comebacker hit by Yuli Gurriel, but stayed in the game and seemed unaffected. After striking out Jose Altuve to start the third inning, Morton called out the trainer, rubbed the spot on his shin and exited. X-rays later revealed the broken leg, which will exclude the 37-year-old from the rest of the series.
Morton has the most 2021 Box-Toppers points of any Braves player, 12.7, a total that already seems low for a player leading a World Series team, until you consider that the top Astros player, Luis Garcia, has just 10.0 points. Morton made four appearances in the 2021 postseason but did not earn Player of the Game honors in any of them. The Braves player with the next-highest Box-Toppers points in 2021 is Game 2 starting pitcher Max Fried with 11.8.
Minter had a Box-Toppers game score Tuesday of +0.2, which actually is the third-best among Braves players in Game 1. But to be considered for Player of the Game honors, a pitcher must appear for at least three innings, earn a win or a save or have a higher Box-Toppers game score and the same or more innings pitched as the player who otherwise would be Player of the Game. Minter did not pitch three innings but he did earn the win. The two Braves players who had higher game scores did not earn the win or save and had fewer innings pitched than Minter:
Reliever Luke Jackson had the highest game score (+3.2) among Braves players Tuesday (1.2IP H 0R 0BB 3K ND).
Starter Charlie Morton had the second-highest game score (+2.1) among Braves players Tuesday (2.1IP H 0R 2BB 3K ND).
Minter joins three other players who have earned two Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors this postseason. Minter was also Player of the Game on Oct. 12 in the NL Division Series Game 4 win over the Brewers. Jose Altuve of the Astros and Dodgers pitcher Julio Urias and Kenley Jansen have also won Player of the Game honors twice each this postseason.
Braves designated hitter Jorge Soler had the highest-ranking Box-Toppers game score (0.0) among Braves batters Tuesday (HR 2-5 R 2BI).
Astros starting pitcher Framber Valdez had a Box-Toppers game score of -15.0 in the loss (2IP 8H 5R BB 2K L).
Top Braves in World Series Game 1: Atlanta 6, Houston 2
Here are the Box-Toppers game scores (BTG) of all Braves players who appeared in World Series Game 1, listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score. Player of the Game (POG) is A.J. Minter.| 10/26 | BTG | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +3.2 | Luke Jackson | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| +2.1 | Charlie Morton | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | ||
| POG | +0.2 | A.J. Minter, (W 1‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| +0.0 | Jorge Soler, DH | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| +0.0 | Adam Duvall, CF‑RF | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| +0.0 | Will Smith | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| +0.0 | Guillermo Heredia, CF | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Freddie Freeman, 1B | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Dansby Swanson, SS | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.9 | Tyler Matzek | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 | ||
| ‑2.0 | Ozzie Albies, 2B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑2.0 | Eddie Rosario, LF | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑2.0 | Travis d'Arnaud, C | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑3.0 | Austin Riley, 3B | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑3.0 | Joc Pederson, RF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
World Series Game 2, Braves vs. Astros
Wednesday’s starting pitchers:
Braves—Max Fried, 11.8 Box-Toppers points, 30th among all players, 19th among NL pitchers.
This is Fried’s fourth 2021 postseason appearance. He was Player of the Game in the NLDS Game 2 win over the Brewers on Oct. 9. He also started in the NLCS Game 1 win over the Dodgers on Oct. 16 and the NLCS Game 5 loss to the Dodgers on Oct. 21.
Astros—Jose Urquidy, 8.4 Box-Toppers points, 74th among all players, 28th among AL pitchers.
This is Urquidy’s second appearance in the 2021 postseason. He started in the ALCS Game 3 loss to the Red Sox on Oct. 18, but did not earn Player of the Game honors.
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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