Braves, Astros, Mariners among leaders in Box-Toppers offseason team rankings

Shawn Plank January 18, 2024

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.

Box-Toppers’ NL Division Series preview: Phillies vs. Braves, Diamondbacks vs. Dodgers

Shawn Plank October 7, 2023

Both National League Division Series begin Saturday.

The Philadelphia Phillies face the Atlanta Braves in one best-of-five game series and the Arizona Diamondbacks face the Los Angeles Dodgers in the other. The top two NL seeds, the Braves (first) and the Dodgers (second) received byes from the first round of playoffs and face the winners of the best-of-three Wild Card series played this week.

A Box-Toppers preview of the four Wild Card Series beginning Tuesday, Oct. 3

Shawn Plank October 3, 2023

The Wild Card round of Major League Baseball’s postseason begins Tuesday with four best-of-three series.

Here is a Box-Toppers look at the eight teams competing in the four Wild Card round series.

Twins’ Maeda tops players for Friday, June 23; Dodgers’ Outman rises to lead NL batters

Shawn Plank June 24, 2023

Twins pitcher Kenta Maeda is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Friday, James Outman of the Dodgers rises to lead National League batters in 2023 Box-Toppers points after earning Player of the Game honors.

Mariners’ Woo tops players for Friday, June 16; Gallen, McClanahan rise in top 10 list

Shawn Plank June 17, 2023

Mariners Pitcher Bryan Woo is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Friday, Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen rises to third place and Rays pitcher Shane McClanahan rises to fourth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after both earned Player of the Game honors. Gallen extends his 2023 Box-Toppers points lead among National League pitchers.

Mets lead 2023 Box-Toppers preseason team rankings; Yankees top AL teams

Shawn Plank March 21, 2023

The New York Mets are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2023 preseason rankings.

Meanwhile, the Texas Rangers made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the World Series champion Houston Astros saw the biggest decline.

Yankees, Mets lead Box-Toppers offseason team rankings, landing biggest free agents

Shawn Plank December 15, 2022

The New York Yankees and New York Mets lead Box-Toppers offseason rankings after landing the winter’s two biggest free agents.

The Yankees rank first after Carlos Rodon Thursday agreed to a free agent deal. Rodon earned 19.8 Box-Toppers points in 2022 with the Giants, sixth overall and third among National League pitchers. He ranked second among all free agents going into the 2023 season.

Astros’ Verlander tops players for Tuesday, Oct. 4, retaking player rankings lead

Shawn Plank October 5, 2022

Astros pitcher Justin Verlander is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, retaking the season Box-Toppers points lead on the next-to-last day of the season.

Verlander struck out 10 over five hitless and scoreless innings, allowing one walk, in the 10-0 win over the Phillies. Verlander was pitching a no-hitter through five innings, but was pulled after 77 pitches, saving himself for the postseason. The no-hitter continued until the ninth inning, when Astros reliever Will Smith gave up three hits.

Mets’ Walker tops players for Sunday, Sept. 11; Diamondbacks’ Gallen maintains 5th

Shawn Plank September 12, 2022

Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Sunday, Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen maintains fifth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Box-Toppers picks Dodgers over White Sox in 2022 World Series

Shawn Plank April 5, 2022

Box-Toppers picks the Los Angeles Dodgers to win the 2022 World Series, beating the predicted American League champion Chicago White Sox.

Box-Toppers projects the Dodgers will have the most wins among all teams—111—and will be the only team with more than 100 wins this season.

Dodgers top Box-Toppers 2022 preseason team rankings; White Sox top AL teams

Shawn Plank March 26, 2022

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2022 preseason rankings. They also ended 2021 as Box-Toppers’ top-ranked team.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the Oakland Athletics saw the biggest decline.

Mets’ Jacob deGrom leads Box-Toppers player rankings at All-Star break

Shawn Plank July 12, 2021

Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom maintains his lead in Box-Toppers player rankings at the All-Star break.

Meanwhile, Nick Castellanos of the Reds regains the season Box-Toppers points lead among National League batters. Also, Gerrit Cole of the Yankees maintains his lead among American League pitchers and J.D. Martinez maintains his lead among AL batters.

Padres’ Tatis tops players for Friday, June 25; Twins’ Arraez tops AL players

Shawn Plank June 26, 2021

Fernando Tatis Jr. of the Padres is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Tatis hit three home runs and went 4-for-5, scoring four times and driving in four runs, in the 11-5 win over the Diamondbacks.

Mets’ Jacob deGrom rises to lead Box-Toppers weekly player rankings report

Shawn Plank June 25, 2021

Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom rises to first place in Box-Toppers weekly player rankings, passing last week’s leader, Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole.

Meanwhile, Adam Duvall of the Marlins rises to lead National League batters. Last week’s American League leaders remain the same: Cole leads AL pitchers and Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox leads AL batters.

Yankees’ Gerrit Cole rises to lead Box-Toppers player rankings as Glasnow loses his grip

Shawn Plank June 18, 2021

Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole regains the lead in Box-Toppers weekly player rankings, passing previous leader, Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow.

Meanwhile, Mets pitcher Jacob deGrom rises to lead National League pitchers, Nick Castellanos of the Reds rises to lead NL batters and Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox continues to lead American League batters.

Mariners’ Flexen tops players for Tuesday, June 15; Mets’ Walker rises to 10th in player rankings

Shawn Plank June 16, 2021

Mariners pitcher Chris Flexen is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Tuesday, Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker rises to 10th place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning National League Player of the Day honors.

Rays’ Tyler Glasnow leads Box-Toppers player rankings for 3rd straight week

Shawn Plank June 11, 2021

Rays pitcher Tyler Glasnow leads Box-Toppers weekly player rankings for the third straight week and for the seventh time in the past nine weeks.

Meanwhile, Brandon Woodruff of the Brewers continues to lead National League pitchers and both leagues have new Box-Toppers points leaders among batters—Xander Bogaerts of the Red Sox rises to lead American League batters and Brandon Crawford of the Giants rises to lead NL batters.

Mets’ Walker tops players for Wednesday, June 9; Yankees’ Cole maintains 2nd place in player rankings

Shawn Plank June 10, 2021

Mets pitcher Taijuan Walker is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Wednesday, Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole earned American League Player of the Day honors, maintaining his second-place spot in Box-Toppers season player rankings and Athletics pitcher Sean Manaea rose to fifth place in season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Angels’ Cobb tops players for Saturday, May 29; White Sox’ Lynn rises to 9th in player rankings

Shawn Plank May 30, 2021

Angels pitcher Alex Cobb is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Saturday, White Sox pitcher Lance Lynn rises to ninth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors.

Dodgers top Box-Toppers 2021 preseason team rankings; White Sox top AL teams

Shawn Plank March 2, 2021

The Los Angeles Dodgers are the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers’ 2021 preseason rankings. They also ended 2020 as Box-Toppers’ top-ranked team and World Series champions.

Meanwhile, the New York Mets made the biggest offseason improvement in players’ accumulated Box-Toppers points, while the Chicago Cubs saw the biggest decline.