Braves’ Fuentes, Brewers’ Frelick top players in Sunday’s NL Division Series games

Braves relief pitcher Didier Fuentes leads Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in Sunday’s National League Division Series games.

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Braves relief pitcher Didier Fuentes leads Box-Toppers Player of the Game winners in Sunday’s National League Division Series games, both low-scoring, one-run contests.

Fuentes pitched 3.2 innings as one of six Atlanta pitchers in a bullpen effort that kept Los Angeles at bay in a 3-2 win. Meanwhile, Sal Frelick of the Brewers earned Player of the Game honors in Milwaukee's 4-3 win over San Diego, driving in the Brewers' first run and scoring the ninth-inning walk-off winning run.

NL Division Series Game 2: Braves 3, Dodgers 2

(Braves tie best-of-five series, 1-1)

Braves relief pitcher Didier Fuentes struck out three over 3.2 innings, allowing one run, one hit, and no walks as the Atlanta bullpen defeated Los Angeles.

Fuentes did not earn the win, picking up a no-decision because he was not the pitcher of record when Atlanta took the lead—that was Dylan Lee (0.2IP H 0R 0BB K W), who pitched in the fourth and fifth innings. Fuentes was one of six Braves pitchers used in a planned bullpen game with Atlanta's rotation dealing with injuries and short rest.

Los Angeles started two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell, who lasted only 3.2 innings before the Dodgers turned to their own bullpen, using seven pitchers total.

  • Fuentes 2026 Regular Season: 2.0 Box-Toppers points (493rd overall, 124th among NL pitchers).

  • Game Scores: Fuentes posted a +3.2 Box-Toppers game score. Braves opener Ray Kerr also posted a +3.2 game score (2.2IP 2H 0R BB 4K ND) but did not qualify for Player of the Game because he pitched under three innings without earning a win or save. Fuentes qualified by pitching more than three innings. Braves closing pitcher Raisel Iglesias recorded a +0.1 game score (0.1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K Sv). Braves top batter Michael Harris II had a 0.0 game score (3B 2B 3-5 R BI). Dodgers starting pitcher Blake Snell had a -1.8 game score (3.2IP 3H R 5BB 5K ND). Dodgers pitcher Kris Bubic, who took the loss, recorded a game-low -3.8 game score (0.2IP H R BB 0K L).

Sal Frelick of the Brewers earned Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors in Milwaukee's 4-3 win over San Diego.

NL Division Series Game 2: Brewers 4, Padres 3

(Brewers lead best-of-five series, 2-0)

Sal Frelick drove in the Brewers’ first run in the fifth inning and scored the walk-off, ninth-inning winning run on Jackson Chourio’s two-RBI bases-loaded single.

  • Frelick 2026 Regular Season: 2.0 Box-Toppers points (456th overall, 119th among NL batters).

  • Game Scores: Frelick posted a +1.0 Box-Toppers game score. Two Brewers pitchers also posted +1.0 game scores—starter Logan Henderson (5IP 2H R 3BB 4K ND) and closer Trevor Megill (1IP 0H 0R 0BB 0K W). But in cases of game score ties, batters rank ahead of pitchers, making Frelick the Player of the Game. Chourio, who delivered the walk-off hit, finished with a -1.0 game score (1-4 0R 2BI). Padres starting pitcher Michael King posted Sunday’s overall high game score (+6.0) in the loss (5IP 3H R 0BB 6K ND). Padres top batter Ty France had a +1.0 game score (2-3 0R 2BI). Padres closing pitcher Mason Miller, who gave up the winning runs, recorded a -4.8 game score (1.2IP H 2R 3BB 2K L). Miller leads the Padres with 16.0 Box-Toppers points (13th overall, 7th among NL pitchers, 1st among all closers).

All of Sunday’s Player of the Game winners are listed in the chart.

Box‑Toppers Player of the Game winners

Here is the top player from each of the day’s games listed from highest to lowest Box‑Toppers game score (BTG).
10/4 BTG Game Player AB R H BI   IP H R ER BB K
  3.2 `ATL 3, LAD 2 Didier Fuentes (H, 1) ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑   3.2 1 1 1 0 3
  1.0 MIL 4, SD 3 Sal Frelick RF 2 1 1 1   ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑ ‑
No Box-Toppers points are awarded in postseason games.
` Pitcher had a no‑decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.

Box-Toppers point totals of the day’s Player of the Game winners

Here are Box-Toppers point totals of each of the Player of the Game winners. Players are ranked by their Box-Toppers point total in 2026 (’26). Also shown is their point total for this season and last (’25-26), the period 2021-2026 (’21-26) and each players’ career point total. Also shown is how their 2026 Box-Toppers point total compares with their 2025 total (+/-).
Player of the Game Pos Team ’26 ’25‑26 ’21‑26 Career +/‑
Frelick, Sal 4880 rf lf mil nl 2.0 4.0 6.7 6.7 0.0
Fuentes, Didier 5352 pi mr atl nl 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 +2.0
What are those numbers after players' names?
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
Chart is sortable. Click a column header to re-sort the chart by the values in that column. Refresh page to restore chart to default view.

Monday’s pitching matchups (for more, see matchups chart below):

ALDS Game 2, White Sox lead Guardians, 1-0

White Sox—Anthony Kay, 4.0 Box-Toppers points in 2026, 256th overall, 85th among AL pitchers.

Guardians—Gavin Williams, 17.4 Box-Toppers points in 2026, ninth overall, fourth among AL pitchers.

More details—Previews of AL Division Series

ALDS Game 2, Rays lead Yankees, 1-0

Yankees—Cam Schlittler, 21.7 Box-Toppers points in 2026, third overall, first among AL pitchers. He was Player of the Game in the Yankees’ AL Wild Card Game 1 win over the Red Sox on Tuesday.

Rays—Freddy Peralta, 5.7 Box-Toppers points in 2026, 148th overall, 57th among AL pitchers.

More details—Previews of AL Division Series

A Box-Toppers look at Monday’s pitching matchups

A Box-Toppers look at the upcoming day's probable pitching matchups. Teams are paired below with visiting teams on top and home teams on the bottom. Each team's starting pitcher is shown with their Box-Toppers point total from 2026 ('26), this year and last year ('25-26), over six years ('21-26), and their career point total.
Game Starter ’26 ’25‑26 ’21‑26 Career
CHW Kay, Anthony 4285 4.0 4.0 6.0 7.0
CLE Williams, Gavin 4865 17.4 29.1 36.8 36.8
NYY Schlittler, Cam 5261 21.7 29.1 29.1 29.1
TB Peralta, Freddy 3965 5.7 20.4 71.6 90.3
Starters subject to change.
* Player has yet to earn any career Box-Toppers points.
What are those numbers after players' names?
Chart is sortable. Click a column header to re-sort the chart by the values in that column. Refresh page to restore chart to default, game-by-game view.

About Box-Toppers

Box-Toppers tracks who contributes most to their team’s victory. Using standard box score statistics, we identify the Player of the Game for every MLB contest. In the regular season, winners earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point, with bonus points awarded to the top overall and league-specific players of the day. (No Box-Toppers points are awarded in postseason games.) More on how Box-Toppers works.

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