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Today’s key Box-Toppers numbers. Click links to jump to charts elsewhere on this page.▪️ B-T game scores of Dodgers
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(From Oct. 31: Dodgers win World Series in five games.)
Freddie Freeman of the Dodgers, who hit a walk-off, 10th-inning grand slam, is Box-Toppers Player of the Game in Friday’s World Series Game 1.
The Los Angeles Dodgers win 6-3 in 10 innings to take a 1-0 lead over the New York Yankees in the best-of-seven-game series.
Freeman also tripled and went 2-for-5, scoring once and driving in four runs. In the bottom of the 10th inning, the Dodgers trailed 3-2. With the bases loaded, Freeman hit a home run on the first pitch he saw from Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes. It was Cortes’ first appearance in more than a month after going on the injured list late in the season with a left elbow flexor strain. He was not on the Yankees’ first two postseason series rosters. While Cortes faced three batters, he only threw two pitches—he retired Shohei Ohtani in one pitch on a fly out and then intentionally walked Mookie Betts to load the bases.
Freeman earned 5.5 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 159th among all players, 23rd among NL batters and third among NL first basemen, behind Bryce Harper of the Phillies (8.7) and Josh Bell of the Diamondbacks (6.0). This is Freeman’s first Player of the Game honor of the 2024 postseason.
Freeman had a Box-Toppers game score Friday of +2.0. Dodgers relief pitcher, Alex Vesia, who pitched the eighth inning, had a higher game score (+3.0) but did not qualify to be considered for Player of the Game because he did not pitch at least three innings or earn the win or save (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 2K ND).
Jack Flaherty, who started the game for the Dodgers, had the next-highest Box-Toppers game score among Dodgers players of +1.1 (5.1IP 5H 2R BB 6K ND). Dodgers reliever Blake Treinen, who came on to pitch in the ninth inning and earned the win, had a -0.9 game score (1.1IP H R BB 2K W).
Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole had the game’s highest Box-Toppers game score of +4.0 (6IP 4H R 0BB 4K ND). Both Yankees’ 10th-inning relievers had -5.9 Box-Toppers game scores:
Jake Cousins picked up the loss, as he allowed the eventual tying and winning runs to reach base (0.1IP H 2R BB 0K L).
Nestor Cortes picked up a blown save, giving up the game-ending grand slam to Freeman (0.1IP H 2R BB 0K ND).
One other Yankees reliever had a positive Box-Toppers game score of +1.2: Luke Weaver (1.2IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K ND), who pitched from the eighth to ninth innings.
No Yankees batter had a Box-Toppers game score above 0.0. Yankees’ top batter was designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton with a -1.0 Box-Toppers game score (HR 1-5 R 2BI).
A look at Box-Toppers game scores of all Dodgers players in World Series Game 1 (chart).
Top Dodgers in World Series Game 1: Dodgers 6, Yankees 3 (F/10)
Here are the Box-Toppers game scores (BTG) of all Dodgers players who appeared in World Series Game 1, listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score. Player of the Game (POG) is Freddie Freeman. (While relief pitcher Alex Vesia had a higher Box-Toppers game score than Freeman—+3.0 vs. +2.0—Vesia did not qualify to be considered for Player of the Game since he didn't pitch at least three innings or earn the win or save.)| 10/25 | BTG | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +3.0 | Alex Vesia | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| POG | +2.0 | Freddie Freeman 1B | 5 | 1 | 2 | 4 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | |
| +1.1 | Jack Flaherty | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 5.1 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 6 | ||
| +1.0 | Chris Taylor PR | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| +1.0 | Brusdar Graterol | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| 0.0 | Anthony Banda | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 0.2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| ‑0.9 | Blake Treinen (W, 1‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||
| ‑1.0 | Tommy Edman SS | 4 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Enrique Hernández CF | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.0 | Mookie Betts RF | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑1.8 | Michael Kopech | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 0.2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| ‑2.0 | Will D. Smith C | 3 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑3.0 | Shoehi Ohtani DH | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑3.0 | Teoscar Hernández LF | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑3.0 | Max Muncy 3B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ||
| ‑3.0 | Gavin Lux 2B | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
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` Pitcher had a no‑decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
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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 2024 (’24). Also shown is their point total for this season and last (’23-24), the period 2019-2024 (’19-24) and each players’ career point total. Also shown is how their 2024 Box-Toppers point total compares with their 2023 total (+/-).Back to top
| Player of the Game | Pos | Team | ’24 | ’23‑24 | ’19‑24 | Career | +/‑ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freeman, Freddie 2887 | 1b | lad nl | 5.5 | 15.5 | 42.2 | 91.4 | -4.5 |
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World Series Game 2, Dodgers lead Yankees, 1-0
Saturday’s pitching matchup (for more, see matchups chart below):
Yankees—Carlos Rodon, 12.7 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 26th overall and 13th among AL pitchers.
This postseason, Rodon was Player of the Game Oct. 14 in the ALCS Game 1 win over the Guardians.
Dodgers—Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 6.4 Box-Toppers points, 121st overall, 48th among NL pitchers.
This postseason, Yamamoto was Player of the Game Oct. 11 in the NL Division Series Game 5 win over the Padres.
A Box-Toppers look at Saturday’s World Series pitching matchups
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 2024 (’24), this year and last year (’23-24), over a six-year period (’19-24) and their career point total.Back to top
| Game | Starter | ’24 | ’23‑24 | ’19‑24 | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NYY | Rodon, Carlos 3494 | 12.7 | 13.7 | 47.2 | 70.3 |
| LAD | Yamamoto, Yoshinobu 4964 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 | 6.4 |
* Player has yet to earn any career 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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