Box-Toppers Toppers Box
Today’s key Box-Toppers numbers. Click links to jump to charts elsewhere on this page.▪️ Players of the Game
▪️ B-T points of the day’s top players
▪️ Upcoming pitching matchups
▪️ Subscribe to newsletter
▪️ Support Box-Toppers
Mets pitcher Jose Quintana tops players in Wednesday’s four league division series playoff games.
Other Player of the Game winners in Wednesday’s league division series games:
Beau Brieske of the Tigers.
Tommy Kahnle of the Yankees.
Gavin Lux of the Dodgers.
NL Division Series Game 4: Mets 4, Phillies 1
Mets pitcher Jose Quintana struck out six over five innings, allowing one run, two hits and two walks. Quintana did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision, because the Mets trailed, 1-0, when he exited.
The New York Mets win the best-of-five game series, 3-1, eliminating the Philadelphia Phillies.
Quintana earned 10.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 58th overall and 25th among NL pitchers. This is the second time Quintana has earned Player of the Game honors this postseason. He was also Player of the Game Oct. 3 in the NL Wild Card Series.
Quintana had a Box-Toppers game score of +6.0. Mets top batter, shortstop Francisco Lindor, had a +2.0 game score (HR 2B 2-5 R 4BI). Phillies starting pitcher Ranger Suarez had a +3.1 game score (4.1IP 5H 0R 4BB 8K ND).
The Phillies, now eliminated, were Box-Toppers top-ranked team nearly the entire season. Phillies players accumulated 124.9 Box-Toppers points in 2024 and led the final 22 weekly reports of the season.
The Mets had 113.8 points in 2024 and ranked seventh overall, fifth among NL teams and third among NL teams in the league division series.
The Phillies were the second-seeded NL team in the postseason, receiving a bye in the first round. The Mets defeated the Milwaukee Brewers in three games, 2-1, in the Wild Card round.
The Mets now advance to the National League Championship Series beginning Sunday against the winner of the other NLDS—the San Diego Padres or the Los Angeles Dodgers.
AL Division Series Game 3: Tigers 3, Guardians 0
Tigers relief pitcher Beau Brieske struck out three over two scoreless, hitless innings, walking none.
The Tigers take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five game series.
Brieske earned 2.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 116th among AL pitchers.
Brieske, who pitched from the fifth to the seventh inning, did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision. He relieved teammate Brant Hurter, who earned the win, pitching from the second to the fifth innings. Briekse won Player of the Game despite not earning the win or save or pitching at least three innings to qualify for the honor. However, pitchers can win Player of the Game if they have a higher Box-Toppers game score plus the same or more innings as the pitcher who otherwise would have won Player of the Game. Closing pitcher Tyler Holton, who earned the save, was the player initially qualified to be Player of the Game with a +2.0 game score (1IP 0H 0BB 0BB K Sv). But since Brieske had more innings pitched (two vs. one) and had a higher game score (+5.0 vs. +2.0), he beat Holton to win Player of the Game.
Tigers opening pitcher Keider Montero had a +1.0 Box-Toppers game score (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K ND). Tigers top batter Jake Rogers had a 0.0 game score (2B 1-2 R 0BI). Guardians starting pitcher Alex Cobb had a -3.0 game score (3IP 3H 2R BB 2K L).
AL Division Series Game 3: Yankees 3, Royals 2
Yankees relief pitcher Tommy Kahnle struck out one over 1 1/3 hitless, scoreless innings of middle relief, walking none and picking up the win.
The Yankees take the lead in the best-of-five game series, 2-1.
Kahnle earned no Box-Toppers points in the 2024 regular season in 50 appearances. He has 2.0 career Box-Toppers points, including 1.0 in 2023 with the Yankees.
Kahnle had a Box-Toppers game score Wednesday of +2.1. Yankees top batter, designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton, had a +1.0 Box-Toppers game score (HR 2B 3-5 R 2BI). Stanton drove in two of the three Yankees runs, putting his team ahead both times. It’s hard not to see him as Player of the Game. But Kahnle shut down the Royals, getting four critical outs in a low-scoring game just as the Yankees took the lead. It seems Stanton should be Player of the Game, but in low-scoring games, the Box-Toppers formula favors pitchers who completely shut down their opponent.
Yankees starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt had a -0.8 game score (4.2IP 4H 2R BB 4K ND). Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo had a -3.0 game score (5IP 2H 2R 4BB 2K ND). Royals top batter, center fielder Kyle Isbel, had a +1.0 game score (2B 1-2 R BI).
NL Division Series Game 4: Dodgers 8, Padres 0
Gavin Lux of the Dodgers homered and went 2-for-4, scoring twice and driving in two runs.
The Dodgers tie the best-of-five game series with the Padres, 2-2.
Lux earned 1.0 Box-Toppers point in 2024, 165th among NL batters and 28th among NL second basemen.
Lux had a Box-Toppers game score Wednesday of +2.0. While Dodgers opening pitcher Ryan Brasier had a higher Box-Toppers game score (+2.1), he did not qualify to be initially considered for Player of the Game honors because he did not pitch at least three innings or earn the win or save (1.1IP 0H 0R 0BB K ND). Dodgers middle reliever Evan Phillips, who earned the win, had a +1.1 game score (1.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K W). Padres starting pitcher Dylan Cease had a -8.8 game score (1.2IP 4H 3R BB K L).
Wednesday’s Player of the Game winners are listed in the chart.
Box‑Toppers Player of the Game winners
Here is the top player from each of the day’s games listed from highest to lowest Box‑Toppers game score (BTG).| 10/9 | BTG | Game | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| +6.0 | `NYM 4, PHI 1 | Jose Quintana | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 5.0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 6 | ||
| +5.0 | `DET 3, CLE 0 | Beau Brieske (H, 1) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | ||
| +2.1 | NYY 3, KC 2 | Tommy Kahnle (W, 1‑0) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 1.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | ||
| +2.0 | LAD 8, SD 0 | Gavin Lux 2B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
` Pitcher had a no‑decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Back to top
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 | +/‑ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Quintana, Jose 3040 | pi sp | nym nl | 10.0 | 10.0 | 32.8 | 93.1 | +10.0 |
| Brieske, Beau 4680 | pi sp | det al | 2.0 | 2.0 | 3.7 | 3.7 | +2.0 |
| Lux, Gavin 4247 | 2b | lad nl | 1.0 | 1.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | +1.0 |
| Kahnle, Tommy 4138 | pi cp mr | nyy al | 0.0 | 1.0 | 2.0 | 2.0 | -1.0 |
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
Chart is sortable. Click a column header to re-sort the chart by the values in that column. Refresh page to restore chart to default view.
Back to top
Thursday’s pitching matchups (for more, see matchups chart below):
ALDS Game 4, Tigers lead Guardians, 2-1
Guardians—Tanner Bibee, 14.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 14th among all players, eighth among AL pitchers.
Bibee was Box-Toppers Player of the Game Oct. 5 in ALDS Game 1.
Tigers—Reese Olson, 3.0 points, 85th among AL pitchers.
More details—Previews of AL Division Series.
ALDS Game 4, Yankees lead Royals, 2-1
Yankees—Gerrit Cole, 9.7 points, 61st overall, 28th among AL pitchers.
Royals—Michael Wacha, 10.4 points, 51st overall, 25th among AL pitchers.
More details—Previews of AL Division Series.
The NL Division Series between the Padres and Dodgers is in a travel day Thursday and will resume with Game 5 Friday in Los Angeles.
A Box-Toppers look at Thursday’s League Division 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CLE | Bibee, Tanner 4792 | 14.0 | 22.7 | 22.7 | 22.7 |
| DET | Olson, Reese 4861 | 3.0 | 10.4 | 10.4 | 10.4 |
| NYY | Cole, Gerrit 3232 | 9.7 | 26.7 | 104.1 | 165.0 |
| KC | Wacha, Michael 3276 | 10.4 | 21.4 | 40.9 | 71.6 |
* Player has yet to earn any career Box-Toppers points.
What are those numbers after players' names?
Chart is sortable. Click a column header to re-sort the chart by the values in that column. Refresh page to restore chart to default, game-by-game view.
Back to top
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.)
Box-Toppers strives for accuracy. See a mistake in a post? A wrong name, wrong team, grammar error, spelling goof, etc.? Thanks for pointing it out! Contact Box-Toppers here. Let's fix it and make it right.
For additional updates, follow Box-Toppers on Twitter (X).
Your support via Buy Me a Coffee keeps Box-Toppers percolating. Thanks for your contributions!
Related
Box-Toppers 2024 player rankings leaders
Box-Toppers 2024 final team rankings
Previews of all four Wild Card series