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Box-Toppers is voting for four players for 2023 Hall of Fame induction on the internet writers’ ballot—Todd Helton, Torii Hunter, Jeff Kent and Billy Wagner.
Box-Toppers is voting for four players to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in the 2023 Internet Baseball Writers Association of America (IBWAA) ballot.
Box-Toppers is voting for these players: Todd Helton, Torii Hunter, Jeff Kent and Billy Wagner.
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Indians pitcher Corey Kluber is Sunday’s Player of the Day. Kluber struck out 10 over 8 1/3 innings, allowing one run, in the 4-1 win over the Royals.
Kluber earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 10.4 for the season and rising to 12th in Box-Toppers player rankings.
Diamondbacks pitcher Wade Miley is National League Player of the Day. Miley struck out eight over 6 2/3 innings, allowing one run, in the 3-1 win over the Braves.
Jacoby Ellsbury of the Yankees is American League Batter of the Day. Ellsbury homered and went 2-for-5, driving in four runs, in the 9-7 win over the Twins.
Kirk Nieuwenhuis of the Mets is NL Batter of the Day. Nieuwenhuis homered and scored three times in the 8-4 win over the Rangers.
Notable: Angels pitcher Garrett Richards rose to 10th place in Box-Toppers player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors Sunday. (See the updated top 10 player list on the home page.) Richards (7.1IP 1R 11K W in the 6-1 win over the Astros) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 10.7 for the season. He ranks fifth in Box-Toppers points among AL pitchers. His move up to 10th place bumps the only batter, Troy Tulowitzki of the Rockies (10.6 Box-Toppers points), off the top 10 list.
There are now 14 players with 10.0 or more Box-Toppers points—Richards and Kluber both joined that group Sunday.
Also, pitcher Jeff Samardzija, traded this weekend from the Cubs, earned Player of the Game honors in his debut with his new team, the Athletics. Samardzija (7IP 1R 5K W in the 4-2 win over the Blue Jays) earns 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 4.0 for the season.
Kluber receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Miley receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Ellsbury and Nieuwenhuis each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Sunday’s other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Box-Toppers watches the daily performances of selected star players and Box-Toppers points leaders. To see how they performed Sunday, click here.
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. 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.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 706 | Score | Team | Player | AB | R | H | BI | BB | K | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 11.1 | Indians | Corey Kluber (W, 8-6) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 10 | |
| 9.1 | Angels | Garrett Richards (W, 10-2) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.1 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 11 | ||
| NL | 6.2 | Dbacks | Wade Miley (W, 4-6) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 8 | |
| 5.0 | Pirates | Jeff Locke (W, 2-1) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 8.0 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 5.0 | Athletics | Jeff Samardzija (W, 1-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 5.0 | Orioles | Brad Brach (W, 4-0) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 3.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 4.2 | White Sox | Hector Noesi (W, 3-6) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.2 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | ||
| 3.1 | Giants | Tim Lincecum (W, 8-5) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | ||
| BAT | 3.0 | Yankees | Jacoby Ellsbury CF | 5 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| BAT | 3.0 | Mets | Kirk Nieuwenhuis LF | 2 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |
| 3.0 | `Nationals | Jordan Zimmermann | - | - | - | - | - | - | 6.0 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | ||
| 2.0 | Dodgers | Matt Kemp LF | 5 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2.0 | Rays | Ben Zobrist SS | 5 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2.0 | Reds | Jay Bruce RF | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2.0 | Marlins | Henderson Alvarez (W, 6-3) | - | - | - | - | - | - | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Athletics pitcher Sonny Gray is Saturday's Player of the Day in the two American League Division Series playoff games.
Gray pitched eight scoreless innings and struck out nine in the 1-0 win over the Tigers to tie the series at 1-1. Gray picked up a no decision because he left the game in a scoreless tie after eight innings, but the Athletics scored on Stephen Vogt's bases-loaded walk-off single in the bottom of the ninth.
Gray had 4.0 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, ranked 272nd overall.
Jacob Ellsbury of the Red Sox is Saturday's other Player of the Game. Ellsbury scored three runs and went 3-for-4 in the 7-4 win over the Rays, to lead that series 2-0. Ellsbury had 5.5 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, ranked 161st overall.
Coming Sunday: The two NLDS series continue Sunday. Here are the pitching match-ups:
Cardinals: Joe Kelly, 4.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked 264th overall
Pirates: Francisco Liriano, 16.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked ninth overall (see the top 10 Player Rankings list on the home page)
Braves: Julio Teheran, 13.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 23rd overall
Dodgers: Hyun-Jin Ryu, 9.7 Box-Toppers points, ranked 61st overall
In regular season games, 2.0 Box-Toppers points are awarded for Player of the Day, 1.7 for top player in the opposite league and 1.5 for top batter in each league. However, no Box-Toppers points are awarded during the postseason.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 1005 | Score | Team | BATTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | - | - | PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 11.0 | `Athletics | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Sonny Gray | 8.0 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 |
| BAT | 3.0 | Red Sox | Jacoby Ellsbury CF | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Note: Box-Toppers is playing catch-up after time away. These are Box-Toppers results for Tuesday, Aug. 6:
Tigers pitcher Justin Verlander is Tuesday's Player of the Day. Verlander gave up one run and struck out seven over eight innings in the 5-1 win over the Indians.
Verlander became the 26th player this season with 10.0 or more Box-Toppers points. He earned 2.0 points for being Player of the Day, giving him exactly 10.0 for the season, putting him in 24th place among players. While this is the fifth straight season Verlander has earned at least 10.0 Box-Toppers points (and seventh time in his eight seasons of play), it is a big drop-off from 2012 when he led in Box-Toppers points with 24.8 and 2011, when he was in third place overall with 24.4.
Braves pitcher Craig Kimbrel is National League Player of the Day. Kimbrel struck out three in a one-inning save in the 2-1 win over the Nationals.
Jacoby Ellsbury of the Red Sox is American League Batter of the Day. Ellsbury homered twice, scored four runs and went 2-for-4 in the 15-10 win over the Astros.
Chase Utley of the Phillies is NL Batter of the Day. Utley went 3-for-4 in the 9-8 win over the Cubs.
Notable: White Sox pitcher Chris Sale rose to 14th place in Box-Toppers player standings after earning Player of the Game honors Tuesday. Sale (7.1IP 1R 6K W in 3-2 win vs. the Yankees) earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point, giving him 11.7 for the season.
Verlander receives 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day. Kimbrel receives 1.7 for NL Player of the Day. Ellsbury and Utley each receive 1.5 for being top Batter of the Day in their league.
All of Tuesday's other Players of the Game (listed in the chart below) receive 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
Listed from highest to lowest Box-Toppers game score
| 806 | Score | Team | BATTERS | AB | R | H | RBI | BB | SO | - | - | PITCHERS | IP | H | R | ER | BB | SO |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 9.0 | Tigers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Justin Verlander (W, 12-8) | 8.0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 5.1 | Twins | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Andrew Albers (W, 1-0) | 8.1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||
| BAT | 5.0 | Red Sox | Jacoby Ellsbury CF | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 4.0 | Orioles | Adam Jones CF | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| NL | 4.0 | Braves | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Craig Kimbrel (S, 35) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| 3.1 | Reds | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Mat Latos (W, 11-3) | 7.1 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||
| 3.1 | Brewers | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Wily Peralta (W, 8-11) | 6.1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | |||
| 3.1 | `Mets | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Jenrry Mejia | 5.1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 7 | |||
| BAT | 3.0 | Phillies | Chase Utley 2B | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 3.0 | Cardinals | Matt Adams PH | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 3.0 | Diamondbacks | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Wade Miley (W, 9-8) | 7.0 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | |||
| 3.0 | Blue Jays | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Josh Johnson (W, 2-8) | 5.0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | |||
| 2.1 | White Sox | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Chris Sale (W, 7-11) | 7.1 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 6 | |||
| 2.0 | Rangers | Elvis Andrus SS | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
| 2.0 | Pirates | Andrew McCutchen CF | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
` Denotes that the pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
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. 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.