Cubs pitcher Jose Quintana is Monday’s Box-Toppers top Player of the Game among the four League Division Series playoff games.
Top 10 players
Here are final rankings of the top 10 players in Box-Toppers points (BTP) for the 2017 season as of Oct. 1:| Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
| 1 | Sale, Chris 2806 | pi sp | bos al | 25.1 |
| 2 | Scherzer, Max 2588 | pi sp | dc nl | 25.0 |
| 3 | Kershaw, Clayton 2494 | pi sp | lad nl | 23.1 |
| 4 | Strasburg, Stephen 2736 | pi sp | dc nl | 22.5 |
| 5 | Kluber, Corey 3200 | pi sp | cle al | 22.0 |
| 6 | Carrasco, Carlos 2885 | pi sp | cle al | 21.8 |
| 7 | Severino, Luis 3567 | pi sp | nyy al | 21.1 |
| 8 | Greinke, Zack 1871 | pi sp | ari nl | 20.1 |
| 9 | Santana, Ervin 2005 | pi sp | min al | 16.1 |
| 10 | Ray, Robbie 3502 | pi sp | ari nl | 16.0 |
The other three Players of the Game Monday:
- Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish, who led Los Angeles to a three-game sweep over the Diamondbacks.
- Yankees closer Tommy Kahnle, who helped New York force Game 5 in the series with the Indians.
- George Springer of the Astros, who led Houston in eliminating the Red Sox in four games.
Meanwhile, four pitchers among Box-Toppers top 10 players in 2017 made appearances in the four playoff games Monday. None earned Player of the Game honors and three were on losing teams:
- Red Sox pitcher Chris Sale (25.1 Box-Toppers points, ranked first) picked up the loss in relief as his team was eliminated by the Indians.
- Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer (25.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked second) had a no-hitter after six innings, but his team gave up the lead and lost to the Cubs.
- Diamondbacks pitcher Zack Greinke (20.1 Box-Toppers points, ranked eighth) picked up the loss in his start as his team was eliminated by the Dodgers.
- Yankees pitcher Luis Severino (21.1 Box-Toppers points, ranked seventh) picked up the win, pitched well, but was beaten out as Player of the Game by teammate, closing pitcher Tommy Kahnle.
NLDS Game 3: Cubs 2, Nationals 1
Cubs pitcher Jose Quintana struck out seven over 5 2/3 innings, allowing one run (none earned), two hits and one walk, as the Cubs take a 2-1 game lead in the series.
Quintana picked up a no-decision and did not earn the win because the game was in a scoreless tie when he exited. Plus, Quintana was charged with the Nationals' first run from Daniel Murphy, who was on base when he exited.
Quintana had 15.0 Box-Toppers points this season, 15th among all players, ninth among NL pitchers.
He had a Box-Toppers game score Monday of +8.2, highest among Cubs players. Albert Almora Jr. had the highest Box-Toppers game score among Cubs batters of +1.0 (1-1 BI).
Nationals starting pitcher Max Scherzer, who ranked second among all players in 2017 Box-Toppers points with 25.0, first among NL players, had a Box-Toppers game score of +7.1 (6.1IP H R 3BB 7K ND).
The Cubs can win the series in Game 4 Tuesday in Chicago.
NLDS Game 3: Dodgers 3, Diamondbacks 1
Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish struck out seven over five innings, allowing one run, two hits and no walks, as the Dodgers sweep the Diamondbacks in three games.
Darvish had 13.0 Box-Toppers points in 2017, 20th among all players, 11th among NL pitchers.
He had a Box-Toppers game score Monday of +8.0, most among Dodgers players. Cody Bellinger had a Box-Toppers game score of +1.0, highest among Dodgers batters (HR 2-4 R 2BI).
Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zack Greinke (20.1 Box-Toppers points, eighth among all players, fourth among NL pitchers) had a Box-Toppers game score of -6.0 (5IP 4H 3R 5BB 4K L).
The Dodgers win the best-of-five series and now face the winner of the Cubs-Nationals series in the National League Championship Series beginning Saturday.
ALDS Game 4: Yankees 7, Indians 3
Yankees closing pitcher Tommy Kahnle struck out five over two scoreless innings, allowing no hits or walks and picking up the save, as the Yankees evened the series at two games apiece.
Kahnle has yet to make his regular season Box-Toppers debut. He made his Major League debut April 3, 2014, and has played in 188 games, but has never earned Player of the Game during the regular season and so has 0.0 Box-Toppers points.
Kahnle had a Box-Toppers game score Monday of +7.0, highest among Yankees players. Pitchers can qualify to earn Player of the Game honors if they have at least three innings pitcher or pick up the win or the save. Kahnle pitched two innings but picked up the save, though the Yankees led by four when he entered the game.
Yankees starter Luis Severino (21.1 Box-Toppers points, seventh among all players, fourth among AL pitchers) had a Box-Toppers game score of +5.0 (7IP 4H 3R BB 7K W) and was in line to earn Player of the Game until Kahnle racked up a higher game score. Todd Frazier had the highest Box-Toppers game score (+1.0) among Yankees batters (2B 1-3 2R BI).
Indians starting pitcher Trevor Bauer, who had been Player of the Game in Game 1 of the series, had a Box-Toppers game score Monday of -5.8 (1.2IP 4H 4R 0ER 2BB 3K L).
The deciding Game 5 in the series will be Wednesday in Cleveland.
ALDS Game 4: Astros 5, Red Sox 4
George Springer of the Astros doubled and went 3-for-4, scoring once and driving in one run, as the Astros eliminated the Red Sox, three games to one.
Springer had 5.0 Box-Toppers points during the regular season, 48th among AL batters.
Springer had a Box-Toppers game score Monday of +1.0. Winning pitcher Justin Verlander, who came on in relief, had a Box-Toppers game score of -2.8 (2.2IP H R 2BB 0K W). Verlander, making his first career relief appearance, had 14.7 Box-Toppers points in 2017, sixth among AL pitchers.
Box-Toppers 2017 Player of the Year Chris Sale appeared in relief for the Red Sox and had a Box-Toppers game score of +2.2 (4.2IP 4H 2R 0BB 6K L). Sale led all players in 2017 with 25.1 Box-Toppers points.
The Astros win the best-of-five series and now face either the Yankees or Indians in the American League Championship Series beginning Friday.
Top player from each game
| BTG | Game | Player of the Game | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
| 8.2 | `CHC 2, WSH 1 | Jose Quintana | - | - | - | - | 5.2 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | |
| 8.0 | LAD 3, ARI 1 | Yu Darvish W (1-0) | - | - | - | - | 5.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | |
| 7.0 | NYY 7, CLE 3 | Tommy Kahnle S (1) | - | - | - | - | 2.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | |
| 1.0 | HOU 5, BOS 4 | George Springer CF | 4 | 1 | 3 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - |
` Pitcher had a no-decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
Coming Tuesday:
NL Division Series Game 4, Cubs lead Nationals, 2-1
The pitching matchup Tuesday:
Nationals—Tanner Roark, 7.0 Box-Toppers points, 97th among all players, 31st among NL pitchers.
Cubs—Jake Arrieta, 6.7 Box-Toppers points, 110th among all players, 38th among NL pitchers.
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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