The Los Angeles Dodgers are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2025 preseason rankings.
Box-Toppers 2025 preseason team rankings
The Los Angeles Dodgers are the top-ranked preseason team in Box-Toppers rankings. Players on their preseason roster accumulated 127.2 Box-Toppers points in the 2024 season. Shown below in the 2025 column is the accumulated 2024 Box-Toppers point total for each player on that team’s current roster (as of March 20). Also shown in the 2024 column is each team’s Box-Toppers point total at the end of last season. The final column (+/-) shows the change in team rosters’ Box-Toppers points from the end of last season until now.| Team | 2024 | 2025 | +/- | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dodgers | 113.7 | 127.2 | +13.5 |
| 2 | Mets | 113.8 | 123.8 | +10.0 |
| 3 | Padres | 121.8 | 120.6 | -1.2 |
| 4 | Brewers | 123.7 | 116.7 | -7.0 |
| 5 | Diamondbacks | 110.9 | 116.1 | +5.2 |
| 6 | Phillies | 124.9 | 116.0 | -8.9 |
| 7 | Cubs | 96.8 | 109.7 | +12.9 |
| 8 | Yankees | 120.9 | 107.1 | -13.8 |
| 9 | Guardians | 106.3 | 106.3 | 0.0 |
| 10 | Royals | 115.1 | 105.1 | -10.0 |
| 11 | Mariners | 109.4 | 103.7 | -5.7 |
| 12 | Tigers | 84.9 | 101.4 | +16.5 |
| 13 | Astros | 110.5 | 98.8 | -11.7 |
| 14 | Braves | 118.9 | 97.6 | -21.3 |
| 15 | Reds | 90.8 | 97.3 | +6.5 |
| 16 | Red Sox | 104.9 | 96.6 | -8.3 |
| 17 | Blue Jays | 76.0 | 96.5 | +20.5 |
| 18 | Orioles | 106.5 | 95.7 | -10.8 |
| 19 | Pirates | 86.9 | 91.1 | +4.2 |
| 20 | Athletics | 76.3 | 88.5 | +12.2 |
| 21 | Twins | 93.4 | 88.4 | -5.0 |
| 22 | Cardinals | 96.6 | 85.2 | -11.4 |
| 23 | Rangers | 87.1 | 82.3 | -4.8 |
| 24 | Giants | 96.2 | 79.8 | -16.4 |
| 25 | Nationals | 74.4 | 78.9 | +4.5 |
| 26 | Rays | 79.8 | 71.5 | -8.3 |
| 27 | Angels | 64.3 | 69.1 | +4.8 |
| 28 | Rockies | 66.1 | 53.6 | -12.5 |
| 29 | Marlins | 51.7 | 45.0 | -6.7 |
| 30 | White Sox | 36.1 | 38.6 | +2.5 |
Meanwhile, the New York Yankees lead American League teams, the Toronto Blue Jays made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points and the Atlanta Braves had the biggest decline.
Players on the Dodgers’ current 2025 preseason roster (as of March 20) accumulated 127.2 Box-Toppers points during the 2024 season, most of any team.
The Dodgers rank ahead of the second-place New York Mets with 123.8 points.
The top American League team, the New York Yankees, rank eighth overall. Players on the Yankees’ current 2025 preseason roster, accumulated 107.1 Box-Toppers points during the 2024 season.
Dodgers rank first
Despite winning the World Series in 2024, the Dodgers finished the season ranked eighth overall in Box-Toppers team rankings, so their first-place preseason ranking is a seven-spot gain from 2024, the third-biggest jump among all teams.
The Dodgers finished 2024 with 113.7 Box-Toppers points, gaining 13.5 points in preseason rankings, the third-biggest gain among all teams.
The Dodgers had the biggest offseason acquisition, as measured by Box-Toppers points, signing free agent pitcher Blake Snell from the Giants. Snell earned 15.7 Box-Toppers points in 2024, seventh among all players and fifth among National League pitchers.
The Dodgers also ranked first in 2024’s preseason rankings and also did it on the strength of acquiring the free agent player with the most Box-Toppers points in the previous season. For 2024, the Dodgers signed Shohei Ohtani, who earned 19.4 Box-Toppers points in 2023 with the Angels, 9.7 points as a pitcher and 9.7 points as a batter. (Ohtani was unable to pitch in 2024, but still earned 11.0 Box-Toppers points as a batter, first among NL batters and winning the NL Most Valuable Player Award.)
Also, like last year, the Dodgers bolstered their pitching staff by signing a Japanese player with no Major League experience (and therefore, no Box-Toppers points). In 2025, the Dodgers bring on Roki Sasaki, 23, who has pitched four seasons in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball league. In 2024, they signed Japanese pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto, now 26, who earned 6.4 Box-Toppers points in 2024, missing about three months while on the injured list.
The Dodgers notably lost pitcher Jack Flaherty (12.0 Box-Toppers points, 17th among NL pitchers) to the Tigers. Flaherty was the lone starting pitcher for the Dodgers who was healthy in the second half of the season and into the postseason. During the postseason, the Dodgers cobbled many games together using starting pitchers on limited innings still ramping up from injuries and bullpen games composed of relievers each chipping in an inning or two. Still, they won the World Series.
While Box-Toppers had the Dodgers as the top team going into 2024, they were not among Box-Toppers’ top teams by the end of the season. Box-Toppers even had the New York Yankees as a heavy favorite over the pitching-depleted Dodgers in the World Series. (Wrong.)
The top player returning to the Dodgers for 2025 is pitcher Tyler Glasnow (11.7 Box-Toppers points, 19th among NL pitchers). Pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who leads active players in career Box-Toppers points (272.4), hopes to return from the injured list around June 1. He earned just 2.0 points in 2024, his lowest total in his 17 seasons, as he battled injury much of the season. Kershaw will be 37 in the 2025 season.
Pitcher Gavin Stone (9.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 31st among NL pitchers) is expected to miss the 2025 season as he recuperates from elbow surgery.
Yankees rank eighth, lead AL teams
Players on the New York Yankees’ 2025 preseason roster accumulated 107.1 Box-Toppers points in 2024, eighth among all teams and first among American League teams, ahead of the Cleveland Guardians with 106.3, ninth overall.
The Yankees finished 2024 in fourth place with its players accumulating 120.9 Box-Toppers points. They ranked first among AL teams in 2024 and finished the season as AL champions. They had a net loss of 13.8 points for 2024, the third-biggest point loss among all teams.
Notably, the Yankees lost pitcher Nestor Cortes (15.4 points, ninth among AL pitchers) to the Brewers and outfielder Juan Soto (11.0 points, second among AL batters) to the Mets.
Their key addition is pitcher Max Fried (13.4 points, ninth among NL pitchers) from the Braves.
Key holdovers include pitcher Luis Gil (17.4 points, sixth overall, second among AL pitchers), designated hitter/outfielder Aaron Judge (13.0 points, first among AL batters) and pitcher Carlos Ródon (12.7 points, 13th among AL pitchers). Pitcher Gerrit Cole, who earned 9.7 points in 2024, 28th among AL pitchers, is out for the season after undergoing elbow surgery March 10.
The Yankees lead AL teams despite ranking behind seven NL teams in Box-Toppers rankings and despite having the third-biggest decline in accumulated points from 2024 to 2025.
Blue Jays make biggest offseason gain
The Toronto Blue Jays had the largest offseason gain, picking up a net of 20.5 Box-Toppers points from the end of 2024 to the 2025 preseason.
Biggest team gains & drops
The Toronto Blue Jays picked up the most Box-Toppers points on its roster in the offseason (+20.5) while the Atlanta Braves lost the most (-21.3). The Blue Jays notably gained outfielder Anthony Santander (6.5 Box-Toppers points in 2024), relief pitcher Jeff Hoffman (5.0 points), second baseman Andrés Giménez (4.0 points) and closer Yimi Garcia(4.0 points). The Braves notably lost pitcher Max Fried (13.4 points) and pitcher Charlie Morton (9.4 points).| Biggest gains | ||||
| Team | 2024 | 2025 | +/- | |
| 1 | Blue Jays | 76.0 | 96.5 | +20.5 |
| 2 | Tigers | 84.9 | 101.4 | +16.5 |
| 3 | Dodgers | 113.7 | 127.2 | +13.5 |
| 4 | Cubs | 96.8 | 109.7 | +12.9 |
| 5 | Athletics | 76.3 | 88.5 | +12.2 |
| Biggest drops | ||||
| Team | 2024 | 2025 | +/- | |
| 1 | Braves | 118.9 | 97.6 | -21.3 |
| 2 | Giants | 96.2 | 79.8 | -16.4 |
| 3 | Yankees | 120.9 | 107.1 | -13.8 |
| 4 | Rockies | 66.1 | 53.6 | -12.5 |
| 5 | Astros | 110.5 | 98.8 | -11.7 |
The Blue Jays finished 2024 with 76.0 Box-Toppers points, 25th among all teams. They open 2025 with players on the preseason roster having accumulated 96.5 points in 2024, an eight-spot jump to 17th place in preseason standings. It is tied for the second-biggest jump among all teams, behind the 10-spot jump of the Detroit Tigers from 22nd to 12th.
The top players to join the Blue Jays from another team in 2025 are outfielder Anthony Santander (6.5 points in 2024 with the Orioles, 12th among AL batters) and closer Jeff Hoffman (5.0 points) from the Phillies.
The Blue Jays also added pitcher Max Scherzer, who ranks second among active players in career Box-Toppers points (253.7), but who earned just 2.0 points in an injury-limited 2024 season with the Rangers, the lowest single-season total in his 16-year career.
The Blue Jays have no significant roster losses for 2025. Among players returning to the Blue Jays for 2025 are pitchers Kevin Gausman (10.0 points, 26th among AL pitchers) and José Berríos (9.7, 29th among AL pitchers).
Mets among projected elite teams
The New York Mets rank second overall behind the Dodgers with 123.8 Box-Toppers points, a 10.0-point jump from their final 2024 total of 113.8. They rise from seventh place from 2024, a five-spot jump, the fifth-biggest rise.
The Mets notably gained outfielder Juan Soto (11.0 points, second among AL batters) from the Yankees and starting pitcher Frankie Montas (6.0 points) from the Brewers.
Notable losses include pitcher Jose Quintana (10.0 points, 25th among NL pitchers) to the Brewers and pitcher Luis Severino (6.7 points) to the Athletics.
Key holdovers include pitcher Sean Manaea (15.4 points, sixth among NL pitchers), shortstop Francisco Lindor (10.9 points, second among NL batters) and first baseman Pete Alonso (5.0 points, 25th among NL batters).
Tigers make biggest jump
The Detroit Tigers rose the most spots (+10) in team rankings from the end of last season, from 22nd with 84.9 Box-Toppers points to 12th with 101.4 points in 2025 preseason standings. Their 16.5-point gain was second-biggest among teams.
The Tigers notably added starting pitcher Jack Flaherty (12.0 points, 17th among NL pitchers) from the Dodgers.
Braves have biggest decline
The Atlanta Braves made the biggest offseason decline in team Box-Toppers points (-21.3) from the end of 2024 to the 2025 preseason standings.
The Braves finished 2024 in fifth place with 118.9 Box-Toppers points and fall to 14th place in preseason rankings with 97.6 points. The nine-spot drop is also the biggest fall among all teams.
The Braves notably lost pitcher Max Fried (13.4 points, eighth among NL pitchers) to the Yankees, pitcher Charlie Morton (9.4, 30th among NL pitchers) to the Orioles and catcher Travis d'Arnaud (3.5) to the Angels.
However, two key players are likely to return to the Braves in 2025, both of whom were Box-Toppers points leaders in 2023 but injured in 2024. Pitcher Spencer Strider led all players with 21.1 Box-Toppers points in 2023, but just 1.0 point in 2024 before undergoing elbow surgery in April. Ronald Acuña Jr. ranked second among NL batters in 2023 with 10.7 Box-Toppers points but earned 0.0 points in 2024, playing in just 49 games before tearing his left knee ACL. If both return and perform close to their 2023 levels, they could rocket the Braves to the top in overall rankings.
Phillies fall from first to sixth
The Philadelphia Phillies led Box-Toppers team rankings for 22 of the 25 weekly reports in 2024, missing only the first three weeks of the season, finishing first with its players accumulating 124.9 Box-Toppers points.
They won the NL East Division but lost in their opening playoff round—the Mets beat them 3-1 in the NL Division Series.
The Phillies fall from first at the end of last season to sixth in 2025 preseason rankings with 116.0 Box-Toppers points, an 8.9-point decline and a five-spot drop, the fifth-biggest drop among all teams.
The Phillies notably lost starting pitcher Spencer Turnbull (6.4) to free agency and reliever Jeff Hoffman (5.0) to the Blue Jays.
But they retain these key holdovers from 2024: Pitcher Zack Wheeler (21.4 points, first overall), pitcher Aaron Nola (13.4 points, ninth among NL pitchers), pitcher Cristopher Sánchez (11.4 points, 20th among NL pitchers), pitcher Ranger Suárez (10.4 points, 23rd among NL pitchers), first baseman Bryce Harper (8.7 points, sixth among NL batters) and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (8.5 points, seventh among NL batters).
Prominent player changes
Only one player ranked among the overall top 10 in Box-Toppers points for 2024 changed teams in the offseason—that was Blake Snell, moving from the Giants to the Dodgers. His 15.7 Box-Toppers points ranked seventh overall and fifth among NL pitchers.
Box-Toppers rankings of players changing teams for 2025
Blake Snell has the most 2024 Box-Toppers points among players changing teams for 2025. Snell earned 15.7 Box-Toppers points in 2024 with the Giants and signed with the Dodgers for 2025. Here is a look at the players with the most 2024 Box-Toppers point changing teams for 2025. Shown is their 2024 team, their 2025 team, their position, their 2024 Box-Toppers points (BTP) and their ranking among all players in 2024 points.| Player | 2024 team |
2025 team |
Pos | 2024 BTP |
Rank | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Blake Snell | Giants | Dodgers | pi sp | 15.7 | 7 |
| 2 | Nestor Cortes | Yankees | Brewers | pi sp | 15.4 | 12 |
| 3 | Max Fried | Braves | Yankees | pi sp | 13.4 | 17 |
| 4 | Jack Flaherty | Dodgers | Tigers | pi sp | 12.0 | 34 |
| 5 | Corbin Burnes | Orioles | D-backs | pi sp | 11.7 | 38 |
| 6 | Juan Soto | Yankees | Mets | rf | 11.0 | 43 |
| 7 | Yusei Kikuchi | Astros | Angels | pi sp | 10.7 | 47 |
| 8 | Garrett Crochet | White Sox | Red Sox | pi sp | 10.7 | 48 |
| 9 | Willy Adames | Brewers | Giants | ss | 10.5 | 50 |
| 10 | Colin Rea | Brewers | Cubs | pi sp | 10.4 | 52 |
| 11 | Brady Singer | Royals | Reds | pi sp | 10.0 | 56 |
| 12 | Jose Quintana | Mets | Brewers | pi sp | 10.0 | 58 |
| 13 | Nick Pivetta | Red Sox | Padres | pi sp | 9.7 | 63 |
| 14 | Charlie Morton | Braves | Orioles | pi sp | 9.4 | 70 |
| 15 | Andrew Heaney | Rangers | Pirates | pi sp | 9.0 | 71 |
Back to top
Interestingly, the highest-ranking player to change teams from 2023 to 2024 also went to the Dodgers—Shohei Ohtani, whose 19.4 Box-Toppers points in 2023 with the Angels ranked third overall, second among AL pitchers and first among AL batters. In 2024 with the Dodgers, Ohtani’s 11.0 points led NL batters.
The list of Box-Toppers’ top 15 players changing teams for 2025 includes 13 pitchers and two batters. The two batters are:
Juan Soto, moving from the Yankees to the Mets. His 11.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024 was 47th overall and second among AL batters.
Willy Adames, moving from the Brewers to the Giants. His 10.5 Box-Toppers points in 2024 was 50th overall and third among NL batters.
Soto was also the highest-ranked batter changing teams from 2023 to 2024. Soto earned 9.0 Box-Toppers points in 2023 with the Padres, sixth among NL batters) and moved to the Yankees for 2024. He ranked 11th among players changing teams for 2024.
Remaining free agents
As of March 19, there are still a few free agents still unsigned. There are 16 players classified as free agents who earned Box-Toppers points during 2024. The three unsigned free agents with the most 2024 Box-Toppers points are all starting pitchers:
Kyle Gibson, 7.4 Box-Toppers points in 2024 with the Cardinals, 42nd among NL pitchers.
Spencer Turnbull, 6.4 points in 2024 with the Phillies, 47th among NL pitchers.
Lance Lynn, 6.0 points in 2024 with the Cardinals, 52nd among NL pitchers.
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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Box-Toppers’ 2024 preseason rankings: Dodgers lead 2024 Box-Toppers preseason team rankings; Rays top AL teams
Box-Toppers’ 2024 end-of-season rankings: Phillies finish atop Box-Toppers team rankings after leading nearly all season
Box-Toppers’ offseason rankings (Feb. 3): Dodgers, Mets, Phillies among leaders in Box-Toppers offseason team rankings