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Imanaga makes biggest leap in Box-Toppers points; 2 others win B-T Comeback Player

Shawn Plank December 20, 2024

While Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga is Box-Toppers’ most improved player in 2024, our choices for Comeback Players of the Year are Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes and Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez.

Most improved players

Here are the players who had the biggest gains in Box-Toppers points (BTP) from 2023 to 2024, ranked by their rise in points this season. Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga had the biggest gain of 20.7 points, earning 20.7 in 2024, his first season. Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes had the biggest Box-Toppers points improvement among non-rookie players. His 13.4-point gain (from 2.0 in 2023 to 15.4 in 2024) is the third-biggest gain among all players.

  Player Pos Team BTP Rise
1 Imanaga, Shota 4960† pi sp chi nl 20.7 +20.7
2 Gil, Luis 4498† pi sp nyy al 17.4 +17.4
3 Cortes, Nestor 4160 pi sp nyy al 15.4 +13.4
4 Skenes, Paul 5005† pi sp pit nl 13.0 +13.0
5 Lopez, Reynaldo 3712 pi sp atl nl 12.8 +11.8
6 Manaea, Sean 3637 pi sp nym nl 15.4 +11.7
7 Rodon, Carlos 3494 pi sp nyy al 12.7 +11.7
8 Houck, Tanner 4342 pi sp bos al 13.4 +11.4
9 Cease, Dylan 4231 pi sp sd nl 21.1 +11.1
10 Crochet, Garrett 4434 pi sp chi al 10.7 +10.7
11 Blanco, Ronel 4959 pi sp hou al 10.7 +10.7
12 Skubal, Tarik 4414 pi sp det al 21.1 +10.4
13 Sale, Chris 2806 pi sp atl nl 19.1 +10.4
14 Quintana, Jose 3040 pi sp nym nl 10.0 +10.0
15 Myers, Tobias 5026† pi sp mil nl 10.0 +10.0
16 Lodolo, Nick 4586 pi sp cin nl 9.0 +9.0
17 Ortiz, Luis 4738 pi sp pit nl 9.0 +9.0
18 Pfaadt, Brandon 4812 pi sp ari nl 12.4 +8.7
19 Fedde, Erick 4065 pi sp stl nl 8.7 +8.7
20 Pallante, Andre 4656 pi sp stl nl 8.7 +8.7
21 Helsley, Ryan 4589 pi cp stl nl 12.0 +8.0
22 Flaherty, Jack 3971 pi sp lad nl 12.0 +8.0
23 Stone, Gavin 4942† pi sp lad nl 9.0 +8.0
24 Lugo, Seth 3729 pi sp kc al 14.1 +7.7
25 Schwellenbach, Spencer 5035† pi sp atl nl 7.7 +7.7
What are those numbers after players' names?
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
BTP—Box-Toppers points
† Rookie status in 2024

Meanwhile, one of the consensus choices for Comeback Player of the Year—Braves pitcher Chris Sale—ranks 13th among Box-Toppers’ most-improved players in 2024.

Imanaga had the biggest Box-Toppers point gain from 2023 to 2024. The 31-year-old rookie from Japan earned 20.7 Box-Toppers points in his first Major League season, resulting in his first-place 20.7-point gain from 2023.

It is the highest point total for any rookie since Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995 and also the fifth-highest increase in points from one season to the next. The biggest one-season gain is 26.0 points by Astros pitcher Justin Verlander, who earned 0.0 points in 2021 and 26.0 in 2022.

Most improved seasons

Here are the players who had the biggest increase in Box-Toppers points from one season to the the next since Box-Toppers tracking begain in 1995. Astros pitcher Justin Verlander had the biggest improvement of 26.0 points in 2022, earning 26.0 points that season after earning 0.0 in 2021. Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga, who is 2024’s biggest riser (improving by 20.7 points) ranks fifth among players with most improved seasons since 1995. He is also now the highest-ranked rookie player, passing Jose Fernandez, who had a 19.0-point rise from 2012 to 2013.

  Player Pos Team BTP Rise Year
1 Justin Verlander pi sp Astros 26.0 +26.0 2022
2 Blake Snell pi sp Rays 27.2 +22.2 2018
3 Max Scherzer pi sp Dodgers 25.1 +21.1 2021
4 Corey Kluber pi sp Indians 25.8 +20.8 2014
5 Shota Imanaga† pi sp Cubs 20.7 +20.7 2024
6 Zack Wheeler pi sp Phillies 21.1 +20.1 2021
7 Stephen Strasburg pi sp Nationals 20.4 +19.4 2012
8 Luis Severino pi sp Yankees 21.1 +19.1 2017
9 Jose Fernandez† pi sp Marlins 19.0 +19.0 2013
10 Johnny Cueto pi sp Reds 22.4 +18.4 2014
11 Kerry Wood† pi sp Cubs 18.2 +18.2 1998
12 Julio Urias pi sp Dodgers 19.1 +18.1 2021
13 Pedro Martinez pi sp Red Sox 28.8 +17.8 2002
14 Esteban Loaiza pi sp White Sox 18.8 +17.8 2003
15 John Smoltz pi sp Braves 26.1 +17.7 1996
16 Javier Vazquez pi sp Expos 23.4 +17.7 2001
17 Lance Lynn pi sp Cardinals 17.7 +17.7 2012
BTP—Box-Toppers points
† Rookie year

While Imanaga had the best rookie season of any player in Box-Toppers’ 30-year tracking history, he finished fourth in 2024 National League Rookie of the Year voting, behind Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, whose 13.0-point gain from 0.0 Box-Toppers points in 2023 to 13.0 in 2024 was fourth-highest, third among all rookies.

Most improved players by season

Here are the players who had the biggest gains in Box-Toppers points (BTP) each season from 1996 to 2024. Players are shown with the team with whom they finished the season, their season Box-Toppers point total and their rise in points from the previous season.

  Player Pos Team BTP Rise
1996 John Smoltz^ pi sp Braves 26.1 +17.7
1997 Randy Johnson pi sp Mariners 23.0 +17.0
1998 Kerry Wood* pi sp Cubs 18.2 +18.2
1999 Scott Williamson* pi cp Reds 11.7 +11.7
2000 Chan Ho Park pi sp Dodgers 18.5 +14.8
2001 Javier Vazquez pi sp Expos 23.4 +17.7
2002 Pedro Martinez pi sp Red Sox 28.8 +17.8
2003 Esteban Loaiza pi sp White Sox 18.8 +17.8
2004 Johan Santana^ pi sp Twins 26.8 +16.1
2005 Dontrelle Willis pi sp Marlins 18.7 +12.7
2006 Lance Berkman 1b Astros 20.8 +13.8
2007 Chad Gaudin pi sp Athletics 12.7 +12.7
2008 Ricky Nolasco pi sp Marlins 16.7 +16.7
2009 Chris Carpenter pi sp Cardinals 15.7 +14.7
2010 Mat Latos pi sp Padres 16.7 +14.7
2011 James Shields pi sp Rays 20.1 +14.4
2012 Stephen Strasburg pi sp Nationals 20.4 +19.4
2013 Jose Fernandez* pi sp Marlins 19.0 +19.0
2014 Corey Kluber pi sp Indians 25.8 +20.8
2015 Matt Harvey pi sp Mets 15.4 +15.4
2016 Jose Fernandez pi sp Died† 22.4 +17.7
2017 Luis Severino pi sp Yankees 21.1 +19.1
2018 Blake Snell^ pi sp Rays 27.2 +22.2
2019 Chris Paddack* pi sp Padres 15.8 +15.8
2020 Corbin Burnes§ pi sp Brewers 7.7 +7.7
2021 Max Scherzer^ pi sp Dodgers 25.1 +21.1
2022 Justin Verlander^ pi sp Astros 26.0 +26.0
2023 Jesus Luzardo pi sp Marlins 17.8 +13.8
2024 Shota Imanaga* pi sp Cubs 20.7 +20.7
BTP—Box-Toppers points
Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995.
^Also led all players in season Box-Toppers points.
*Rookie season.
†Jose Fernandez played in 2016 for the Marlins, but was killed in a boating accident in late September before the season ended. Players are listed on the team for which they finished the season.
§The 2020 season was shortened from 162 to 60 games due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

NOTABLE FACTS


⬛️ Five players have been both Box-Toppers most improved player and Box-Toppers Player of the Year, leading all players in season points—John Smoltz (1996), Johan Santana (2004), Blake Snell (2018), Max Scherzer (2021) and Justin Verlander (2022).
⬛️ Five most improved players did it in their rookie seasons—Kerry Wood (1998), Scott Williamson (1999), Jose Fernandez (2013), Chris Paddack (2019) and Shota Imanaga (2024).
⬛️ Lance Berkman is the only batter to be Box-Toppers most improved player (2006). Starting pitchers have done it the other 28 times.
⬛️ Jose Fernandez is the only player to be Box-Toppers most improved player twice—2013 and 2016. Fernandez died before the end of the 2016 season.
⬛️ Justin Verlander has the largest Box-Toppers point gain from one season to the next (+26.0), earning no points in 2021 and 26.0 in 2022.
⬛️ Four most improved players have finished the season as Marlins, the most of any team. That doesn’t count 2016, when Jose Fernandez, who played for the Marlins during the season, died before the end of the season. Six other franchises each have had two most improved players each—Astros, Dodgers, Expos/Nationals, Padres, Rays and Cubs.

Imanaga is the fifth rookie to lead Box-Toppers most-improved players in a season since tracking began in 1995 and the second time a Cubs pitcher has done it. Kerry Wood did it in 1998 when he had an 18.2-point increase from 0.0 in 1997 to 18.2 in 1998.

Imanaga’s 20.7 Box-Toppers points was fourth among all players in 2024, third among NL pitchers.

American League Rookie of the Year, Yankees pitcher Luis Gil, had the second-biggest Box-Toppers point gain from 2023 to 2024 of 17.4. He earned 0.0 points in 2023 and 17.4 in 2024. Gil finished sixth in Box-Toppers points in 2024, second among AL pitchers and first among AL rookies.

Nestor Cortes is Box-Toppers AL Comeback Player

For AL Comeback Player of the Year, I choose Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes, who earned 15.4 Box-Toppers points in 2024, sixth among AL pitchers, after earning 2.0 points in 2023. That 13.4-point gain from 2023 to 2024 ranks third among season-to-season improvements and most among non-rookies.

Cortes spent time on the injured list in 2023 with a left rotator cuff strain, limiting him to 12 games. He bounced back to pitch 31 games in 2024, matching his single-season high of 15.4 Box-Toppers points he recorded in 2022 with the Yankees, when he ranked ninth among AL pitchers.

Cortes ranked eighth on the 2023 Box-Toppers Big Dippers list, players whose Box-Toppers point total declined the most from 2022 to 2023. Cortes had a 13.4-point decline from 15.4 in 2022 to 2.0 in 2023. He is one of four players who were among both Box-Toppers’ top 25 biggest dippers in 2023 and top 25 biggest risers in 2024. The others:

  • Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon: He ranked first among Big Dippers from 2022 to 2023 with an 18.8-point dip from 19.8 points in 2022 with the Giants to 1.0 point in 2023 with the Yankees. He ranks seventh among most improved in 2024 with an 11.4-point gain from 1.0 in 2023 to 12.7 in 2024, both with the Yankees.

  • Padres pitcher Dylan Cease: He ranked 15th among Big Dippers from 2022 to 2023 with a 10.4-point dip from 20.4 in 2022 to 10.0 in 2023, both with the White Sox. He ranks ninth among most improved in 2024 with an 11.1-point gain from 10.0 in 2023 with the White Sox to 21.1 in 2024 with the Padres.

  • Mets pitcher Jose Quintana: He ranked ninth among Big Dippers from 2022 to 2023 with an 11.4-point dip from 11.4 in 2022 with the Pirates and Cardinals to 0.0 in 2023 with the Mets. He ranks 13th among most improved in 2024 with a 10.0-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 to 10.0 in 2024, both with the Mets.

Reynaldo Lopez is Box-Toppers NL Comeback Player

For NL Comeback Player of the Year, I choose Braves pitcher Reynaldo Lopez, who earned 12.8 Box-Toppers points in 2024, 11th among NL pitchers, after earning 1.0 point in 2023 with the White Sox, Angels and Guardians. That 11.8-point gain from 2023 to 2024 is fifth-biggest among all players, third among all NL players and first among all NL non-rookies.

Lopez served as a reliever in 2023, appearing in 68 games and earning six saves with a 3.27 earned run average. In 2024, he returned to his role as a starter—he was primarily a starter from 2016 to 2020—appearing in 26 games, starting 25 and lowering his ERA to 1.99.

Lopez nearly matched his career single-season high Box-Toppers point total of 13.1 set in 2019 with the White Sox, when he was 11th among AL pitchers. The following season, Lopez earned 0.0 points and his 13.1-point decline was 10th-largest among all players in 2020. He earned 5.4 points in 2021, 2.0 in 2022 and 1.0 in 2023, before rebounding in 2024.

Comeback Player Awards

There are three different entities that bestow the most-widely recognized Comeback Player Awards:

  • The MLB Award is voted on by club beat reporters from MLB.com.

  • The Players Choice Award is voted by members of the players’ union, the MLB Players Association.

  • The Sporting News Comeback Player of the Year Award is the oldest of the three, going back to 1965, voted on by the publication’s editorial staff.

All three agreed on the reemergent NL star, Braves pitcher Chris Sale. All three had different players as AL Comeback Player of the Year:

  • MLB.com—White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet.

  • MLB Players Association—Tyler O'Neill of the Red Sox.

  • Sporting News—Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays.

Sale makes strong case for Comeback Player

Sale came close to being Box-Toppers’ choice for NL Comeback Player.

He earned 19.1 Box-Toppers points in 2024 with the Braves, fifth overall and fourth among NL pitchers. He earned 8.7 points in 2023 with the Red Sox. His 10.4-point gain from 2023 was 13th-highest among all players, sixth among NL players, fourth among NL non-rookies and only 1.4 points less than the 11.8-point gain made by our choice for NL Comeback Player, Reynaldo Lopez.

Sale earned at least 13.4 Box-Toppers points each season from 2012 to 2018 with the White Sox and Red Sox, including leading all players in 2017 with 25.1 points and ranking sixth overall in 2018 with 20.1 points. He earned 0.0 points in 2020, 2.0 in 2021, 0.0 in 2022 and 8.7 in 2023, before rebounding with 19.1 in 2024, his third-highest single-season total.

Sale underwent Tommy John surgery in 2020, missing that entire season and subsequently suffered other injuries forcing him to miss time, including broken ribs, a broken finger, a broken wrist (a non-baseball accident) and a stress reaction in the scapula.

A look at AL Comeback Player winners

None of the three AL Comeback Player Award winners had particularly compelling cases as re-emergent players.

  • White Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet earned 10.7 Box-Toppers points, 23rd among AL pitchers, but had never earned more than 1.0 point in any previous season (in 2021), so it was more of a rise than a resurgence. Still, his 10.7-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 was the 10th-biggest gain among all players, fifth among AL players and fourth among AL non-rookies. Crochet had Tommy John surgery in 2022, missing that entire season.

  • Tyler O’Neill of the Red Sox had a gain of 4.2 Box-Toppers points, earning 0.0 in 2023 with the Cardinals and 4.2 in the 2024 with the Red Sox, which was the 11th-biggest gain among AL batters. O’Neill was limited to 72 games in 2023, spending time on the injured list with a lower back strain. He played in 113 games in 2024.

  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays earned 5.0 Box-Toppers points in 2024, which was only 1.0 more than the 4.0 he earned in 2023. His 5.0 points in 2024 was 21st among AL batters. From 2023 to 2024 Guerrero markedly increased his batting average (.264 to .323), scored more runs (78 vs. 98) and had more hits (159 vs. 199).

Rookies on Box-Toppers’ most improved players list

The list of 25 Box-Toppers most improved players, players with the biggest increase in Box-Toppers points from 2023 to 2024, includes six rookie players, led by:

  • Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga, whose 20.7-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 to 20.7 in 2024 ranked first overall.

  • Yankees pitcher Luis Gil, whose 17.4-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 to 17.4 in 2024 ranked second overall, first among AL players.

  • Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, whose 13.0-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 to 13.0 in 2024 ranked fourth overall, second among NL players.

  • Brewers pitcher Tobias Myers, whose 10.0-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 to 10.0 in 2024 ranked 15th overall, eighth among NL players.

  • Dodgers pitcher Gavin Stone, whose 8.0-point gain from 1.0 in 2023 to 9.0 in 2024 ranked 23rd overall, 16th among NL players.

  • Braves pitcher Spencer Schwellenbach, whose 7.7-point gain from 0.0 in 2023 to 7.7 in 2024 ranked 25th overall, 17th among NL players.

Most improved batters

For the first time in Box-Toppers tracking history, there are no batters among the top 25 most improved players in Box-Toppers points from one season to the next.

Most improved batters

Here are the batters who had the biggest gains in Box-Toppers points (BTP) from 2023 to 2024, ranked by their rise in points this season. Francisco Lindor of the Mets had the biggest gain of 6.9 points, earning 10.9 in 2024 after earning 4.0 in 2023. Jackson Chourio of the Brewers had the biggest Box-Toppers points improvement among rookie batters, earning 5.7 points in his first season.

  Player Pos Team BTP Rise
1 Lindor, Francisco 3586 ss nym nl 10.9 +6.9
2 Chapman, Matt 3849 3b sf nl 10.2 +6.7
3 Langeliers, Shea 4715 ca oak al 7.5 +6.5
4 Burleson, Alec 4874 dh stl nl 7.5 +6.5
5 Suarez, Eugenio 3355 3b ari nl 8.5 +6.0
6 Doyle, Brenton 4803 cf col nl 9.7 +5.7
7 Harper, Bryce 3011 1b phi nl 8.7 +5.7
8 Chourio, Jackson 4970† rf lf mil nl 5.7 +5.7
9 Neto, Zach 4821 ss ana al 8.0 +5.5
10 Greene, Riley 4675 cf dh lf det al 5.2 +5.2
What are those numbers after players' names?
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
BTP—Box-Toppers points
† Rookie status in 2024

Box-Toppers tracking began in 1995 and our list of most improved season-over-season goes back to the 1996 season. In each season since then until 2024, there has always been at least one batter among the 25 most improved in Box-Toppers points.

But this year’s most-improved batter is Francisco Lindor of the Mets, who had a 6.9-point increase from 4.0 in 2023 to 10.9 in 2024. While that ranked first among improving batters, it ranked 34th among all players, outside the top 25. Lindor’s 10.9 Box-Toppers points was second among NL batters.

In 2023, there were five batters among the top 26 most improved. There has been as few as one batter among the top 25 in the past. In 2018, Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Braves ranked 13th overall with a 9.2-point gain. (Shohei Ohtani of the Angels ranked 22nd among improvers that season with an 8.0-point gain in his rookie season, but split his points between batting and pitching, with 4.0 points in each.)

The top 10 improving batters ranged from 5.2- to 6.9-point gains from 2023 to 2024 and includes one rookie player, Jackson Chourio of the Brewers, whose 5.7-point gain ranks eighth among all batters (from 0.0 in 2023 to 5.7 in 2024). Chourio finished third in NL Rookie of the Year voting.

Box-Toppers top players among most improved

Overall Box-Toppers points leader in 2024, Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler, had a 6.7-point gain from 14.7 in 2023 to 21.4 in 2024, which ranked 35th among all players.

Ten of the 25 players on Box-Toppers’ most improved list for 2024 are among their league’s top 10 pitchers in Box-Toppers points for the season:

  • Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal, 21.1 points in 2024, second overall, first among AL pitchers, had a 10.4-point increase from 2023, 12th among improvers.

  • Padres pitcher Dylan Cease, 21.1 points in 2024, third overall, second among NL pitchers, had an 11.1-point increase from 2023, ninth among improvers.

  • Cubs pitcher Shota Imanaga, 20.7 points in 2024, fourth overall, third among NL pitchers, had a 20.7-point increase from 2023, first among improvers.

  • Braves pitcher Chris Sale, 19.1 points in 2024, fifth overall, fourth among NL pitchers, had a 10.4-point increase from 2023, 13th among improvers.

  • Yankees pitcher Luis Gil, 17.4 points in 2024, sixth overall, second among AL pitchers, had a 17.4-point increase from 2023, second among improvers.

  • Mets pitcher Sean Manaea, 15.4 points in 2024, 11th overall, sixth among NL pitchers, had an 11.7-point increase from 2023, sixth among improvers.

  • Yankees pitcher Nestor Cortes, 15.4 points in 2024, 12th overall, sixth among AL pitchers, had a 13.4-point increase from 2023, third among improvers.

  • Royals pitcher Seth Lugo, 14.1 points in 2024, 13th overall, seventh among AL pitchers, had a 7.7-point increase from 2023, 24th among improvers.

  • Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck, 13.4 points in 2024, 19th overall, 10th among AL pitchers, had an 11.4-point increase from 2023, eighth among improvers.

  • Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, 13.0 points in 2024, 23rd overall, 10th among NL pitchers, had a 13.0-point increase from 2023, fourth among improvers.

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.

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.

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Related

  • Awards wrap-up: Box-Toppers leaders win 4 of 6 major postseason honors in 2024

  • Box-Toppers 2024 player rankings leaders

  • Box-Toppers top 25 most improved players lists: 2023 (Jesus Luzardo), 2022 (Justin Verlander), 2021 (Max Scherzer), 2020 (Corbin Burnes), 2019 (Chris Paddack), 2018 (Blake Snell), 2017 (Luis Severino), 2016 (Jose Fernandez), 2015 (Matt Harvey).

  • See top 10 most improved players list from 1996-2023 on Box-Toppers Details page. Scroll about three-quarters down the page and look for yearly “Risers” or do a search for “Risers” to find the lists.

TagsMost Improved Players, Comeback Players of the Year, Postseason awards, Shota Imanaga, Nestor Cortes, Reynaldo Lopez, Chris Sale, Justin Verlander, Paul Skenes, Rookie of the Year, Kerry Wood, Luis Gil, Chicago Cubs, Carlos Rodon, Dylan Cease, Jose Quintana, Garrett Crochet, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Tyler O'Neill, Tobias Myers, Gavin Stone, Spencer Schwellenbach, Francisco Lindor, Ronald Acuña Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Jackson Chourio, Zack Wheeler, Tarik Skubal, Sean Manaea, Seth Lugo, Tanner Houck
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Box-Toppers

Tracking who most helps their teams win the most games, based on box score stats. A method to measure & compare baseball's top players.

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. Players earn Box-Toppers points 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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