| 2024 leaders | 2023-24 leaders | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pos | American League | Team | BTP | Pos | American League | Team | BTP | |
| 1B | Josh Naylor | Guardians | 5.5 | 1B | Josh Naylor | Guardians | 12.5 | |
| 2B | Jordan Westburg | Orioles | 4.5 | 2B | Jose Altuve | Astros | 9.5 | |
| SS | Bobby Witt Jr. | Royals | 4.2 | SS | Bobby Witt Jr. | Royals | 11.9 | |
| 3B | Jose Ramirez | Guardians | 3.4 | 3B | Rafael Devers | Red Sox | 10.0 | |
| CA | Adley Rutschman | Orioles | 3.5 | CA | Adley Rutschman | Orioles | 8.5 | |
| OF | Aaron Judge | Yankees | 8.5 | OF | Aaron Judge | Yankees | 20.5 | |
| OF | Juan Soto | Yankees | 7.0 | OF | Juan Soto | Yankees | 16.0 | |
| OF | Daulton Varsho | Blue Jays | 3.5 | OF | Kyle Tucker | Astros | 15.5 | |
| DH | Yordan Alvarez | Astros | 4.5 | DH | Yordan Alvarez | Astros | 11.0 | |
| SP | Luis Gil | Yankees | 13.4 | SP | Chris Bassitt | Blue Jays | 25.1 | |
| SP | Tarik Skubal | Tigers | 11.4 | SP | Kevin Gausman | Blue Jays | 23.7 | |
| SP | Tanner Bibee | Guardians | 10.0 | SP | Logan Gilbert | Mariners | 23.4 | |
| SP | Logan Gilbert | Mariners | 10.0 | SP | George Kirby | Mariners | 23.4 | |
| CP | Josh Hader | Astros | 5.0 | CP | Felix Bautista | Orioles | 11.0 | |
| Pos | National League | Team | BTP | Pos | National League | Team | BTP | |
| 1B | Bryce Harper | Phillies | 6.7 | 1B | Pete Alonso | Mets | 14.0 | |
| 2B | Bryson Stott | Phillies | 4.5 | 2B | Nolan Gorman | Cardinals | 11.5 | |
| SS | Francisco Lindor | Mets | 6.4 | SS | Francisco Lindor | Mets | 10.4 | |
| 3B | Matt Chapman | Giants | 5.5 | 3B | Matt Chapman | Giants | 9.0 | |
| CA | William Contreras | Brewers | 3.2 | CA | Keibert Ruiz | Nationals | 7.2 | |
| OF | Brenton Doyle | Rockies | 5.2 | OF | Christian Yelich | Brewers | 11.7 | |
| OF | Jesús Sánchez | Marlins | 4.5 | OF | Mookie Betts | Dodgers | 11.0 | |
| OF | Brendan Donovan | Cardinals | 4.2 | OF | Ronald Acuña Jr. | Braves | 10.7 | |
| DH | Marcell Ozuna | Braves | 4.5 | DH | Shohei Ohtani | Dodgers | 21.4 | |
| SP | Zack Wheeler | Phillies | 10.7 | SP | Zack Wheeler | Phillies | 25.4 | |
| SP | Tyler Glasnow | Dodgers | 10.7 | SP | Freddy Peralta | Brewers | 24.7 | |
| SP | Chris Sale | Braves | 10.7 | SP | Tyler Glasnow | Dodgers | 23.1 | |
| SP | Shota Imanaga | Cubs | 10.7 | SP | Spencer Strider | Braves | 22.1 | |
| CP | Ryan Helsley | Cardinals | 8.0 | CP | Ryan Helsley | Cardinals | 12.0 | |
With 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.
I cast a single All-Star ballot mainly to ensure Box-Toppers leaders were represented (they were). The only difference between the Box-Toppers 2024 All-Star team and this ballot is that Jordan Westburg of the Orioles is at third base here rather than second base on the Box-Toppers ballot. That move required removing Jose Ramirez of the Guardians from third base and adding Jose Altuve of the Astros to my ballot at second base.
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.
Box-Toppers offers two perspectives on All-Star teams—the first includes the Box-Toppers points leaders at each position for the current 2024 season. The second consists of the points leaders at each position for the combined 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Players making 2023-24 and 2024 All-Star teams
The chart shows the leaders at each position in both the American League and National League for 2024 and 2023-24. There are 12 players who make both the 2024 and 2023-24 All-Star teams, including:
AL first base—Josh Naylor, Guardians
AL shortstop—Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
AL catcher—Adley Rutschman, Orioles
AL outfield—Aaron Judge, Yankees
AL outfield—Juan Soto, Yankees
AL designated hitter—Yordan Alvarez, Astros
AL starting pitcher—Logan Gilbert, Mariners
NL shortstop—Francisco Lindor, Mets
NL third base—Matt Chapman, Giants
NL starting pitcher—Zack Wheeler, Phillies
NL starting pitcher—Tyler Glasnow, Dodgers
NL closing pitcher—Ryan Helsley, Cardinals
Both leagues have 14 spots each on Box-Toppers All-Star team—the customary five infield spots, three for outfield, four for starting pitchers plus one spot for closing pitcher and one spot for designated hitter.
Fans don’t get to pick pitchers for the All-Star Game (which doesn’t make sense), but Box-Toppers lists the top pitchers by league in Box-Toppers points for both 2024 and 2023-24.
Ohtani’s spot
Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers leads NL designated hitters over 2023-24 with 21.4 Box-Toppers points. But it should be noted that he earned 9.7 of those points as a pitcher with the Angels in 2023. If Ohtani’s pitching points were subtracted, he would have 11.7 points, which would put Marcell Ozuna of the Braves in the lead among NL designated hitters over 2023-24 with 12.0 points.
Ohtani is not serving as a pitcher in 2024 as he recovers from elbow surgery. He is expected to return to the mound in 2025. Meanwhile, his 2.0 points earned so far this season solely as a designated hitter is his lowest point total at this point in any regular-length season since his career began in 2018. (The 2020 season did not begin until July 23.)
Positioning Westburg
Jordan Westburg of the Orioles is listed on the AL All-Star ballot at third base. However, under Box-Toppers rules, he qualifies to be ranked at third base and second base—he’s earned Player of the Game honors four times in 2024, twice each at third base and second base. For the Box-Toppers ballot, we placed him at second base. But in making my single vote in official balloting (which I know will probably be a critical, deciding factor), I voted Westburg at third base instead of Jose Ramirez of the Guardians. And I voted Jose Altuve of the Astros in Westburg’s place at second base.
Injured players
There are several notable players among Box-Toppers position leaders who are injured and will be out for the 2024 All-Star Game:
Orioles closing pitcher Felix Bautista, who leads AL closers over 2023-24 (11.0 points) had elbow surgery at the end of 2023 and is not expected to pitch until 2025.
Mookie Betts of the Dodgers, who ranks second among NL outfielders over 2023-24 (11.0 points) broke his hand when hit by a pitch in mid-June and could miss three months by some estimates. While he had been playing shortstop for the Dodgers, he is still qualified as an outfielder and at second base under Box-Toppers rules.
Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves, who ranks third among NL outfielders over 2023-24 (10.7 points), tore his left knee ACL in late May and is out for the season. His points are all from 2023; he had yet to earn Player of the Game honors in the 2024 regular season.
Braves pitcher Spencer Strider, who ranks fourth among NL pitchers over 2023-24 (22.1 points), underwent elbow surgery in April and will miss the remainder of the season. He led all players in 2023 with 21.1 points and earned 1.0 point in 2024 before his injury.
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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