Box-Toppers Toppers Box
Today’s key Box-Toppers numbers. Click links to jump to charts elsewhere on this page.▪️ Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners.
▪️ Box-Toppers points of the day’s top players.
▪️ A B-T look at today’s pitching matchups.
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Alek Thomas of the Diamondbacks is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Friday’s National League Championship Series Game 4.
Also Friday, Astros closing pitcher Ryan Pressly is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in the American League Championship Series Game 5.
NL Championship Series Game 4: Diamondbacks 6, Phillies 5
Thomas hit an eighth-inning, pinch-hit, game-tying, two-run homer, going 1-for-1, scoring once and driving in two runs.
The Diamondbacks tie the best-of-seven game series, with the Phillies, 2-2.
Thomas earned no Box-Toppers points in 2023, appearing in 125 regular season games. He did earn 2.5 Box-Toppers points in his 2022 rookie season, appearing in 113 games. His 0.0 points in 2023 ranks 896th among all players, 204th among NL batters and 91st among NL outfielders.
Thomas had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0. One of his teammates, closer Paul Sewald, also had a +3.0 game score (1IP H 0R 0BB 3K Sv), but in cases of game score ties, batters rank ahead of pitchers, giving Thomas the edge for Player of the Game.
Diamondbacks starter Joe Mantiply, who served as the game’s opener in a bullpen game with eight Diamondbacks pitchers appearing, had a +1.0 game score (1IP H 0R 0BB K ND).
Phillies starting pitcher Cristopher Sanchez had a -2.9 game score (2.1IP 2H 2R BB K ND). The Phillies also used eight pitchers Friday, including reliever Craig Kimbrel, who notably had a -7.8 game score (0.2IP 3H 3R 0BB K L), giving up the tying and go-ahead runs in the eighth inning, blowing the save and picking up the loss.
Phillies top batter Friday was designated hitter Kyle Schwarber with a +2.0 Box-Toppers game score (HR 2B 2-3 2R BI).
AL Championship Series Game 5: Astros 5, Rangers 4
Multiple Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in 2023 postseason
— Box-Toppers (@BoxToppers) October 21, 2023
3—Nathan Eovaldi TEX
3—Aaron Nola PHI
2—Jordan Montgomery TEX
2—Zack Wheeler PHI†
2—Brandon Pfaadt ARI
2—Ryan Pressly HOU*
*Won 2nd postseason Player of the Game Friday
†Starting Saturdayhttps://t.co/eTXMkUaMbi pic.twitter.com/rOikQsX4eF
Pressly struck out three over two scoreless innings, allowing two hits and no walks. Pressly got the final six outs over the final two innings, picking up the win because the Astros took the lead in the top of the ninth.
The Astros take a 3-2 lead over the Rangers in the best-of-seven game series.
Pressly earned 3.0 Box-Toppers points in 2023, 313th among all players, 84th among AL pitchers and 12th among AL closing pitchers.
This is his second Box-Toppers Player of the Game honor of the 2023 postseason. He was also top player Oct. 11 in the AL Division Game 4 win over the Twins. He becomes the sixth player to earn Player of the Game honors multiple times this postseason. Friday was his fifth 2023 postseason appearance.
Pressly had a Box-Toppers game score of +3.0. Astros starting pitcher Justin Verlander had a -6.8 Box-Toppers game score (5.2IP 6H 4R BB 3K ND). Rangers starting pitcher Jordan Montgomery had a -2.9 Box-Toppers game score (5.1IP 5H 2R 2BB 3K ND). Astros top batter was pinch hitter/catcher Yandy Diaz with a +1.0 Box-Toppers game score (1-1 R 0BI).
Two other notable players in the game, who both hit go-ahead multi-run homers:
Right fielder Adolis Garcia had a +2.0 Box-Toppers game score (HR 1-3 R 3BI). He hit the three-run homer that put the Rangers up 4-2 in the sixth inning.
Second baseman Jose Altuve had a 0.0 Box-Toppers game score (HR 1-5 R 3BI). He hit a three-run homer that put the Astros up 5-4 in the ninth inning.
The series resumes Sunday with Game 6 in Houston.
More details—Preview of AL Championship Series.
Details on Friday’s league championship series Player of the Game winners in the chart.
Box‑Toppers Player of the Game winners
Here is the top player from each of the day’s games 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 | ARI 6, PHI 5 | Alek Thomas PH‑CF | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | |
| +3.0 | HOU 5, TEX 4 | Ryan Pressly (W, 1‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 |
Box-Toppers point totals of the day’s Player of the Game winners
Here are Box-Toppers point totals of each of the Player of the Game winners. Players are ranked by their Box-Toppers point total in 2023 (’23). Also shown is their point total for this season and last (’22-23), the period 2018-2023 (’18-23) and each players’ career point total. Also shown is how their 2023 Box-Toppers point total compares with their 2022 total (+/-).Back to top
| Player of the Game | Pos | Team | ’23 | ’22‑23 | ’18‑23 | Career | +/‑ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pressly, Ryan 3186 | pi cp | hou al | 3.0 | 9.0 | 16.0 | 22.0 | -3.0 |
| Thomas, Alek 4648 | cf | ari nl | 0.0 | 2.5 | 2.5 | 2.5 | -2.5 |
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
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Saturday’s pitching matchup (for more, see matchups chart):
NL Championship Series Game 5: Phillies at Diamondbacks, series tied, 2-2
It’s a rematch of Game 1 of the series won by the Phillies.
Phillies—Zack Wheeler, 14.7 Box-Toppers points in 2023, 11th among all players, fifth among NL pitchers.
Wheeler has won Player of the Game honors twice this postseason, one of six players with multiple top player honors. He was Player of the Game Oct. 3 in the NL Wild Card Game 1 win over the Marlins and Oct. 16 in the NL Championship Game 1 win over the Diamondbacks.
Diamondbacks—Zac Gallen of the Diamondbacks, 16.7 Box-Toppers points in 2023, eighth overall, fourth among NL pitchers.
Gallen has started three games this postseason but was not Player of the Game in any of them—Oct. 4 in the NL Wild Card win over the Brewers, Oct. 9 in the NL Division Series win over the Dodgers and Oct. 16 in the NL Championship Game 1 loss to the Phillies.
Gallen has the most 2023 Box-Toppers points among players still active in the postseason. Wheeler has the third-most 2023 points among the four LCS teams.
Most 2023 Box-Toppers points among players on 4 remaining playoff teams
— Box-Toppers (@BoxToppers) October 21, 2023
8—Zac Gallen ARI 16.7*
10—Max Scherzer TEX 15.4
11—Zack Wheeler PHI 14.7*
18—Merrill Kelly ARI 13.0
23—Kyle Tucker HOU 12.5
24—Justin Verlander HOU 12.4
*Starting #NLCS Game 5 Saturdayhttps://t.co/eTXMkUaMbi pic.twitter.com/05APHYCx3N
A Box-Toppers look at Saturday’s Championship Series pitching matchup
A Box-Toppers look at the upcoming day’s probable pitching matchups. Teams are paired below with visiting teams on top and home teams on the bottom. Each team’s starting pitcher is shown with their Box-Toppers point total from 2023 (’23), over a two-year period (’22-23), over a six-year period (’18-23) and their career point total.Back to top
| Game | Starter | ’23 | ’22‑23 | ’18‑23 | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| PHI | Wheeler, Zack 3204 | 14.7 | 29.1 | 70.9 | 83.6 |
| ARI | Gallen, Zac 4171 | 16.7 | 35.4 | 51.1 | 51.1 |
* Player has yet to earn Box-Toppers points.
What are those numbers after players' names?
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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. (No Box-Toppers points are awarded in postseason games.)
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Related
Box-Toppers 2023 player rankings leaders
Box-Toppers 2023 final team rankings
Previews of all four Wild Card series
Previews of 2023 National League Division Series
Previews of 2023 American League Division Series