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Braves pitcher Spencer Strider had the biggest decline in Box-Toppers points from 2023 to 2024.
Strider led all players in 2023 with 21.1 Box-Toppers points but earned just 1.0 point in 2024, a 20.1-point decline, which is also the fifth-largest decline (in regular-length seasons) since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995.
Read MoreWith the first phase of voting wrapping up this week for the 2024 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, here’s a look at Box-Toppers points leaders at each position in both leagues, through the games of Tuesday, June 25.
The first phase of fan All-Star voting closes Thursday at noon (Eastern time) and the second phase, with finalist voting only, runs from June 30 to July 3. Here is more information about how that works. The All-Star Game is Tuesday, July 16, in Arlington, Texas.
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The Los Angeles Dodgers are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2024 preseason rankings.
Meanwhile, the New York Mets made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the San Diego Padres saw the biggest decline.
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The Atlanta Braves are Box-Toppers’ top-ranked team going into 2024, with a roster mostly intact from 2023 when they had baseball’s best record.
Meanwhile, the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are Box-Toppers’ top two American League teams, with the Mariners having one of the best offseason improvements of any team so far. And also, while the Los Angeles Dodgers have made big offseason splashes adding Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Teoscar Hernandez, their offseason ranking has actually fallen from third place last season to fourth place now.
Read MoreThe World Series champion Texas Rangers, leaders among all teams in Box-Toppers points in 2023, also led all teams in points earned by pitchers. The Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, which finished third overall among all teams, had the most points won by batters in 2023.
Read MoreOnly four Box-Toppers points leaders are among players selected for 2023’s 16-member “All-MLB” team announced this month. Three other Box-Toppers leaders were chosen for the “All-MLB” Second Team.
The All-MLB team players are not selected based on their affiliation with American League or National League. Rather, all players are chosen regardless of league as “First Team” or “Second Team” players.
Read MoreBox-Toppers’ top-ranked relief pitchers in both leagues were named 2023 Relievers of the Year by Major League Baseball.
Felix Bautista of the Orioles, who led American League relievers with 11.0 Box-Toppers points, won the AL award and Devin Williams of the Brewers, who led National League relievers with 8.0 Box-Toppers points, won the NL award.
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Box-Toppers choices for major postseason awards: AL MVP—Shohei Ohtani, Angels; NL MVP—Pete Alonso, Mets; AL Cy Young—Chris Bassitt, Blue Jays; NL Cy Young—Spencer Strider, Braves; AL Rookie of the Year—Gunnar Henderson, Orioles; NL Rookie of the Year—James Outman, Dodgers.
You’re going to hate Box-Toppers’ choices for postseason player honors.
That’s the impression I get from listening to and reading baseball commentators who by August were already declaring players as not even de facto but actual “don’t-argue-with-me-because-I’m-right-and-there’s-clearly-no-dispute” award winners.
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Source: MLB.com.
Both American League Division Series begin Saturday.
The Texas Rangers face the Baltimore Orioles in one best-of-five game series and the Minnesota Twins face the Houston Astros in the other. The top two AL seeds, the Orioles (first) and the Astros (second) received byes from the first round of playoffs and face the winners of the best-of-three Wild Card series played this week.
Read MoreGuardians pitcher Tanner Bibee is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Saturday, Orioles closing pitcher Felix Bautista rises to seventh in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreBrewers pitcher Corbin Burnes is Thursday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to fifth in season player rankings.
Also Thursday, Braves pitcher Spencer Strider rises to second place in Box-Toppers season player rankings, extending his lead among National League pitchers, after earning Player of the Game honors.
Read MoreBrewers pitcher Freddy Peralta is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Peralta struck out six over six scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks, in the 3-0 win over the Reds.
Read MoreWith voting wrapping up this week for the 2023 Major League Baseball All-Star Game, here’s a look at Box-Toppers points leaders at each position in both leagues, through the games of Sunday, June 25.
The first phase of fan All-Star voting is now closed and the second phase, with finalist voting only, continues through Thursday. Here is more information about how that works. The All-Star Game is Tuesday, July 11, in Seattle.
Read MoreCardinals pitcher Jordan Montgomery is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Friday, Shohei Ohtani of the Angels becomes the second player this season to reach 10.0 Box-Toppers points after earning Player of the Game honors as a batter. He maintains second place in Box-Toppers season player rankings.
Read MoreTwins pitcher Devin Smeltzer is Thursday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Smeltzer struck out three over six scoreless innings, allowing three hits and no walks, in the 1-0 win over the Guardians.
Read MoreBox-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. Players earn Box-Toppers points 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.