Box-Toppers’ top-ranked National League relief pitcher won NL Reliever of the Year, but Box-Toppers’ top American League reliever did not win the AL Award.
Reliever of the Year
One of two Box-Toppers’ top ranked relief pitchers was named Reliever of the Year by Major League Baseball. Ryan Helsley of the Cardinals won the NL Award. However, Box-Toppers' top-ranked AL reliever Josh Hader of the Astros did not win the AL award—that went to Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians, whose 4.0 Box-Toppers points was eighth among AL closing pitchers.Here are the three relief pitchers in each league with the most Box-Toppers points (BTP) in 2024.
| AL Reliever of the Year | |||
| Player | Team | BTP | |
| 1 | Josh Hader | Astros | 11.0 |
| 2 | Andres Munoz | Mariners | 6.0 |
| 3 | Jhoan Duran | Twins | 6.0 |
| NL Reliever of the Year | |||
| Player | Team | BTP | |
| 1 | Ryan Helsley | Cardinals | 12.0 |
| 2 | Alexis Diaz | Reds | 6.0 |
| 3 | Camilo Doval | Giants | 6.0 |
Ryan Helsley of the Cardinals, who led NL relievers with 12.0 Box-Toppers points, won the NL award. But Emmanuel Clase of the Guardians won the AL award, ahead of Box-Toppers’ top AL reliever, Josh Hader of the Astros.
Hader led AL closers with 11.0 Box-Toppers points while Clase earned 4.0 points, eighth among AL closers. Clase did, however, lead AL closers with 47 saves in 2024. Hader had 34 saves in 2024, second-most in the AL.
Ryan Helsley is NL Reliever of the Year
Helsley’s 12.0 Box-Toppers points was most among all relief pitchers, 33rd among all players and 16th among NL pitchers.
Helsley led NL closers with 49 saves.
Second and third among AL relief pitchers in 2024 Box-Toppers points are Alexis Diaz of the Reds and Camilo Doval of the Giants, both with 6.0 Box-Toppers points. Diaz earned 28 saves, fifth among NL pitchers and Doval earned 23 saves, tied for sixth among NL pitchers.
Emmanuel Clase is AL Reliever of the Year
Despite leading the American League with 47 saves, Clase earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors only four times in 2024, each of which was a game in which he earned the save.
The other 43 times Clase earned the save, another Guardians player was more key to the team’s win and won Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors. In fact, in those 43 games, 24 other Guardians players earned Player of the Game honors. In five of Clase’s saves Guardians starting pitcher Ben Lively earned Player of the Game honors. Lively finished with 5.0 Box-Toppers points, 60th among AL pitchers. In four of Clase’s saves, first baseman Josh Naylor earned Player of the Game honors. Naylor finished with 9.0 Box-Toppers points, fourth among AL batters.
Other frequent Player of the Game winners in Clase’s saves were starting pitcher Triston McKenzie and outfielder Jhonkensy Noel, who both won in three of Clase’s saves.
Meanwhile, Hader won Player of the Game honors 11 times, including in eight of his 34 saves and three of his eight wins. His 11.0 Box-Toppers points is nearly double that of the next-highest AL relievers. Both Andres Munoz of the Mariners and Jhoan Duran of the Twins earned 6.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024. Munoz earned 22 saves and Duran had 23.
Clase previously won the AL Reliever of the Year Award in 2022 and also did not rank among Box-Toppers’ top AL relievers that season. Clase led all relievers in 2022 with 42 saves but earned just 2.0 Box-Toppers points, which was 24th among AL relievers. In 2023, Clase earned 6.0 Box-Toppers points, his highest single-season total, ranking fourth among AL closers.
Process of choosing Relievers of the Year
Established in 2014, MLB’s Reliever of the Year Awards are voted by a panel of retired relievers. The Sporting News also awards top relievers annually in each league and also chose Helsley and Clase for its Relief Pitcher of the Year Awards for 2024.
Box-Toppers votes in IBWAA ballot
Box-Toppers is a voting member of the Internet Baseball Writers of America (IBWAA) and has cast its ballot for our top three choices for best reliever in both leagues. The IBWAA has yet to announce the final results for top relievers.
IBWAA members include more than 800 baseball writers and content creators. Voting for full-season awards takes place prior to the start of the postseason each year, with selections announced in November.
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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