Nationals, Astros each have most players (seven) in Box-Toppers top 100 of 2017 at All-Star break

The Washington Nationals and Houston Astros have the most players among the top 100 in Box-Toppers’ 2017 player rankings at the All-Star break.

Top 100 players of 2017

Here are Box-Toppers Top 100 players of 2017 at the All-Star break, ranked by Box-Toppers points (BTP).

	Player	Pos	Team	BTP
1	Kershaw, Clayton 2494	pi sp	lad nl	21.1
2	Scherzer, Max 2588	pi sp	dc nl	17.0
3	Sale, Chris 2806	pi sp	bos al	13.1
4	Santana, Ervin 2005	pi sp	min al	12.4
5	Wood, Alex 3246	pi sp	lad nl	12.0
6	Carrasco, Carlos 2885	pi sp	cle al	11.4
7	Greinke, Zack 1871	pi sp	ari nl	11.4
8	Strasburg, Stephen 2736	pi sp	dc nl	10.4
9	Ray, Robbie 3502	pi sp	ari nl	10.0
10	McCullers, Lance 3488	pi sp	hou al	9.4
11	Vargas, Jason 2055	pi sp	kc al	9.0
12	Straily, Dan 3080	pi sp	fla nl	8.7
13	Healy, Ryon 3685	dh 1b 3b	oak al	8.7
14	Judge, Aaron 3767	rf	nyy al	8.2
15	Kluber, Corey 3200	pi sp	cle al	8.0
16	Quintana, Jose 3040	pi sp	chi al	8.0
17	Nelson, Jimmy 3299	pi sp	mil nl	8.0
18	Holland, Greg 2906	pi cp	col nl	8.0
19	Encarnacion, Edwin 2098	dh 1b	cle al	7.9
20	deGrom, Jacob 3343	pi sp	nym nl	7.7
21	Kimbrel, Craig 2825	pi cp	bos al	7.7
22	Bellinger, Cody 3781	1b	lad nl	7.7
23	Martinez, Carlos 3371	pi sp	stl nl	7.5
24	Sano, Miguel 3527	3b	min al	7.5
25	Keuchel, Dallas 3050	pi sp	hou al	7.4
26	Maeda, Kenta 3609	pi sp	lad nl	7.0
27	Bruce, Jay 2453	rf	nym nl	7.0
28	Nova, Ivan 2796	pi sp	pit nl	7.0
29	Paxton, James 3280	pi sp	sea al	7.0
30	Hill, Rich 2215	pi sp	lad nl	6.7
31	Chacin, Jhoulys 2711	pi sp	sd nl	6.7
32	Severino, Luis 3567	pi sp	nyy al	6.7
33	Adams, Matt 3220	1b	atl nl	6.5
34	Tanaka, Masahiro 3305	pi sp	nyy al	6.4
35	Chatwood, Tyler 2856	pi sp	col nl	6.4
36	Mancini, Trey 3766	lf 1b	bal al	6.2
37	Lester, Jon 2173	pi sp	chi nl	6.0
38	Samardzija, Jeff 2495	pi sp	sf nl	6.0
39	Darvish, Yu 3003	pi sp	tex al	6.0
40	Harper, Bryce 3011	rf	dc nl	6.0
41	Altherr, Aaron 3563	lf rf cf	phi nl	6.0
42	Miranda, Ariel 3738	pi sp	sea al	6.0
43	Godley, Zack 3538	pi sp	ari nl	6.0
44	Feldman, Scott 2632	pi sp	cin nl	6.0
45	Freeland, Kyle 3763	pi sp	col nl	6.0
46	Anderson, Chase 3328	pi sp	mil nl	5.7
47	Nola, Aaron 3569	pi sp	phi nl	5.7
48	Rodriguez, Eduardo 3480	pi sp	bos al	5.7
49	Cabrera, Melky 2143	lf	chi al	5.7
50	Lynn, Lance 2992	pi sp	stl nl	5.7
51	Arenado, Nolan 3306	3b	col nl	5.5
52	Wainwright, Adam 2150	pi sp	stl nl	5.5
53	Correa, Carlos 3506	ss	hou al	5.5
54	Shaw, Travis 3544	3b	mil nl	5.5
55	Rendon, Anthony 3258	3b	dc nl	5.5
56	Perez, Salvador 2972	ca	kc al	5.5
57	Reddick, Josh 2936	rf lf	hou al	5.5
58	Smoak, Justin 2731	1b	tor al	5.5
59	Posey, Buster 2745	ca 1b	sf nl	5.5
60	Gennett, Scooter 3254	2b	cin nl	5.5
61	Cahill, Trevor 2658	pi sp	sd nl	5.4
62	Triggs, Andrew 3723	pi sp	oak al	5.4
63	Rosario, Eddie 3542	lf	min al	5.2
64	Upton, Justin 2411	lf	det al	5.0
65	Cole, Gerrit 3232	pi sp	pit nl	5.0
66	Springer, George 3337	rf dh cf	hou al	5.0
67	Betts, Mookie 3404	rf	bos al	5.0
68	Sabathia, C.C. 1492	pi sp	nyy al	5.0
69	Johnson, Jim 2417	pi cp	atl nl	5.0
70	Devenski, Chris 3702	pi mr	hou al	5.0
71	Meyer, Alex 3742	pi sp	ana al	5.0
72	Kintzler, Brandon 3150	pi cp	min al	5.0
73	Ramirez, JC 3778	pi sp	ana al	5.0
74	Fulmer, Michael 3640	pi sp	det al	4.7
75	Goldschmidt, Paul 2935	1b	ari nl	4.7
76	Peacock, Brad 2968	pi sp	hou al	4.7
77	Faria, Jacob 3816	pi sp	tb al	4.7
78	Murphy, Daniel 2589	2b	dc nl	4.5
79	Duvall, Adam 3573	lf	cin nl	4.5
80	Schoop, Jonathan 3307	2b	bal al	4.5
81	Molina, Yadier 1967	ca	stl nl	4.5
82	Rizzo, Anthony 3063	1b	chi nl	4.5
83	Bour, Justin 3433	1b	fla nl	4.5
84	Inciarte, Ender 3360	cf	atl nl	4.5
85	Zimmerman, Ryan 2180	1b	dc nl	4.5
86	Ramirez, Jose 3436	3b	cle al	4.5
87	Iglesias, Jose 3532	ss	det al	4.5
88	Broxton, Keon 3785	cf	mil nl	4.5
89	Hedges, Austin 3790	ca	sd nl	4.5
90	Gausman, Kevin 3191	pi sp	bal al	4.4
91	Manaea, Sean 3637	pi sp	oak al	4.4
92	Cobb, Alex 2916	pi sp	tb al	4.4
93	Morrison, Logan 2794	1b	tb al	4.2
94	Baez, Javier 3395	2b 3b	chi nl	4.2
95	Benintendi, Andrew 3815	lf	bos al	4.2
96	Roark, Tanner 3261	pi sp	dc nl	4.0
97	Bauer, Trevor 3065	pi sp	cle al	4.0
98	Nolasco, Ricky 2125	pi sp	ana al	4.0
99	Estrada, Marco 2847	pi sp	tor al	4.0
100	Kennedy, Ian 2723	pi sp	kc al	4.0

What are those numbers after players' names?

Both teams have seven players among the top 100. 

The Los Angeles Dodgers, the top-ranked team in Box-Toppers rankings, are tied for the next-most players with five. The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Indians both also have five players on the list.

The list is led by Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who has 21.1 Box-Toppers points, ahead of second-place player, Nationals pitcher Max Scherzer, who has 17.0.

The Nationals and Astros, which each has the most players on the list, are ranked second and third in Box-Toppers team rankings, behind the Dodgers and their 79.0 accumulated Box-Toppers points.

While the Nationals and Astros both have 68.1 accumulated Box-Toppers points on the season, the Nationals hold the tiebreaker to rank second because they have more Box-Toppers points between June 30 and July 9 (6.5). The Astros rank behind in third place with 6.0 points during that period.

Here are the seven Nationals players in the top 100, with their overall rank shown, their position and their season Box-Toppers point total:

• 2. Max Scherzer, starting pitcher—17.0.
• 8. Stephen Strasburg, starting pitcher—10.4.
• 40. Bryce Harper, right field—6.0.
• 55. Anthony Rendon, third base—5.5.
• 78. Daniel Murphy, second base—4.5.
• 85. Ryan Zimmerman, first base—4.5.
• 96. Tanner Roark, starting pitcher—4.0.

Here are the seven Astros players in the top 100, with their overall rank shown, their position and their season Box-Toppers point total:

• 10. Lance McCullers Jr., starting pitcher—9.4.
• 25. Dallas Keuchel, starting pitcher—7.4.
• 53. Carlos Correa, shortstop—5.5.
• 57. Josh Reddick, outfield—5.5.
• 66. George Springer, outfield, designated hitter—5.0.
• 70. Chris Devenski, middle relief pitcher—5.0.
• 76. Brad Peacock, starting pitcher—4.7.

The league-leading Dodgers have five players in the top 100:

• 1. Kershaw—21.1.
• 5. Alex Wood, starting pitcher—12.0.
• 22. Cody Bellinger, first base—7.7.
• 26. Kenta Maeda, starting pitcher—7.0
• 30. Rich Hill, starting pitcher—6.7.

Though the Dodgers only have five players compared to the Nationals and Astros seven, the Dodgers players in the top 100 have more Box-Toppers points than the Nationals’ or Astros’ top 100 players:

• The five Dodgers have 54.5 combined Box-Toppers points. 
• The seven Nationals have 51.9.
• The seven Astros have 42.5.

All 30 teams have at least one player in the top 100. The Texas Rangers are the only team with just one representative: 39th-ranked Yu Darvish, starting pitcher, with 6.0 Box-Toppers points.

Most players in the top 100 are starting pitchers. Here is the position-by-position breakdown of players (if a player played more than one position, then their primary position—the one at which they most often earned Player of the Game honors—is used):

• 55—Starting pitchers
• 15—Outfielders
• 8—First base
• 5—Third base
• 4—Closing pitcher
• 4—Second base
• 4—Catcher
• 2—Designated hitter
• 2—Shortstop
• 1—Middle reliever

Compared to the last two years at this time, there are more batters in the top 100 at the All-Star break and fewer pitchers.

• In 2015, there were 74 pitchers (67 starters and seven closers).
• In 2016, there were 65 pitchers (64 starters and one closer).
• This year, there are 60 pitchers (55 starters, four closers and one middle reliever).

That means batters are taking more spots in the midseason top 100. In 2015, they accounted for 26 spots, in 2016, 35 spots and in 2017, 40 spots. Over two seasons, that’s a 53 percent increase in the number of batters in the midseason top 100 players.

How are last season’s postseason award-winners doing in Box-Toppers points this year?

National League Cy Young Award—Max Scherzer of the Nationals has 17.0 Box-Toppers points, ranked second among all players and second among NL pitchers, behind Kershaw’s 21.1. Scherzer also led all players in Box-Toppers points at the end of 2016 with 25.7, but at the All-Star break had 14.0 points, third among all players and third among NL pitchers.

American League Cy Young Award—Rick Porcello of the Red Sox has 1.0 Box-Toppers point, ranked 396th among all players, 100th among AL pitchers. (Last year, at season’s end, despite winning 22 games, Porcello had just 8.0 Box-Toppers points, 91st among all players and 31st among AL pitchers.)

National League Most Valuable Player—Kris Bryant of the Cubs has 2.5 Box-Toppers points, ranked 235th among all players, 51st among NL batters.

American League Most Valuable Player—Mike Trout of the Angels has 1.0 Box-Toppers point, 386th among all players, 100th among AL batters.

National League Rookie of the Year—Corey Seager of the Dodgers has 4.0 Box-Toppers points, 118th among all players, 24th among NL batters.

American League Rookie of the Year—Tigers pitcher Michael Fulmer has 4.7 Box-Toppers points, 74th among all players, 22nd among AL pitchers.

Last year’s Box-Toppers points leader among AL pitchers was Corey Kluber of the Indians (21.2). This year, Kluber has 8.0 Box-Toppers points, 15th among all players and sixth among AL pitchers.

Last year’s Box-Toppers points leader among AL batters was Manny Machado of the Orioles (12.7). This year, Machado has 3.5 Box-Toppers points, 145th among all players and 28th among AL batters.

Last year’s Box-Toppers points leader among NL batters was Nolan Arenado of the Rockies (10.7). This year, Arenado has 5.5 Box-Toppers points, 51st among all players and sixth among NL batters.

So far this season, 573 different players have earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors. There are 259 players who have more than 2.0 Box-Toppers points. There are 91 players who have made their Box-Toppers debut so far this season, the first time in their career they earned Player of the Game honors. 

Nine of those players who’ve made their debut in 2017 are on the top 100 list.

Aaron Judge of the Yankees has the most Box-Toppers points among players who made their Box-Toppers debut in 2017. His 8.2 Box-Toppers points ranks 14th among all players and second among AL batters.

Cody Bellinger of the Dodgers has the most Box-Toppers points among NL players who made their Box-Toppers debut in 2017. His 7.7 Box-Toppers points ranks 22nd among all players and first among NL batters.

Other players in the top 100 who made their Box-Toppers debut in 2017:

• Trey Mancini of the Orioles, 6.2 Box-Toppers points, 36th among all players, fifth among AL batters.
• Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland, 6.0 Box-Toppers points, 45th among all players, 21st among NL pitchers.
• Angels pitcher JC Ramirez, 5.0 Box-Toppers points, 73rd among all players, 21st among AL pitchers.
• Rays pitcher Jacob Faria, 4.7 Box-Toppers points, 77th among all players, 24th among AL pitchers.
• Keon Broxton of the Brewers, 4.5 Box-Toppers points, 88th among all players, 19th among NL batters.
• Austin Hedges of the Padres, 4.5 Box-Toppers points, 89th among all players, 20th among NL batters.
• Andrew Benintendi of the Red Sox, 4.2 Box-Toppers points, 95th among all players, 19th among AL batters.

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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Editor's note: Box-Toppers realizes the Marlins are no longer called the Florida Marlins and the Angels are no longer the Anaheim Angels. But we keep the old team abbreviation names around in the accompanying chart (fla nl, ana al) since the changes in the team name were largely for marketing or political purposes and involved no substantial change in the actual geography of the team. (Plus, it’s a pain to make extensive database changes.)