Box-Toppers Toppers Box
Today’s key Box-Toppers numbers. Click links to jump to charts elsewhere on this page.▪️ Players of the Game
▪️ B-T points of day’s top players
▪️ Top 10 players in 2026
▪️ Upcoming pitching matchups
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Tigers pitcher Keider Montero is Monday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.
Also Monday, Pete Alonso of the Orioles regains the 2026 Box-Toppers points lead among American League batters after earning AL Batter of the Day honors. In addition, Drew Gilbert of the Giants won National League Player of the Day honors in the day’s limited three-game schedule.
Player of the Day: Keider Montero, Tigers
Montero struck out five over four scoreless innings of middle relief, allowing one hit and one walk, in the 9-2 win over the Nationals. Montero pitched from the fourth to seventh innings.
He earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points for being Player of the Day, giving him 8.7 for the season, 58th among all players and 26th among AL pitchers.
NL Player of the Day: Drew Gilbert, Giants
Gilbert homered and went 3-for-4, scoring twice and driving in three runs, in the 5-2 win over the Twins.
Gilbert earns 1.7 Box-Toppers points as NL Player of the Day, his first points of the season, and is 123rd among NL batters.
Top 10 players
Here are the top 10 players in 2026 Box-Toppers points (BTP) earned in the regular season through Monday, Sept. 21.| Player | Pos | Team | BTP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jacob Misiorowski | pi sp | Brewers | 25.1 |
| 2 | Jesús Luzardo | pi sp | Phillies | 23.0 |
| 3 | Cam Schlittler | pi sp | Yankees | 21.7 |
| 4 | Dylan Cease | pi sp | Blue Jays | 21.4 |
| 5 | Cristopher Sánchez | pi sp | Phillies | 18.7 |
| 6 | Bryan Woo | pi sp | Mariners | 17.4 |
| 7 | Yoshinobu Yamamoto | pi sp | Dodgers | 17.4 |
| 8 | Gavin Williams | pi sp | Guardians | 17.4 |
| 9 | Zack Wheeler | pi sp | Phillies | 16.7 |
| 10 | Jacob deGrom | pi sp | Rangers | 16.4 |
AL Batter of the Day: Pete Alonso, Orioles
Alonso hit two home runs and went 2-for-4, scoring twice and driving in three runs, in the 4-3 win over the Blue Jays.
He earns 1.5 Box-Toppers points as AL Batter of the Day, giving him 9.7 for the season, 37th among all players and rising to first among AL batters, passing previous leader Riley Greene of the Tigers (9.0), who falls to second place.
Alonso previously led AL batters from Aug. 25—when he passed Yordan Alvarez of the Astros—until Sept. 11, when Greene took the lead. Alvarez is third among AL batters with 7.5 points.
Alonso’s rise to 9.7 Box-Toppers points now guarantees the AL batting leader will not set a new record for the lowest point total to lead a category in a full-length season since tracking began in 1995. However, 9.7 points ties the record low set last season by George Springer of the Blue Jays, when he led AL batters.
To avoid tying that record, Alonso or Greene needs to win one more Player of the Game honor in the final six days of the season. All other AL batters need at least two more Player of the Game honors to exceed 9.7 points.
If Alonso’s lead stands, it would be his third season category title—he previously led NL batters in 2022 (14.9 points) and 2023 (12.0 points) with the Mets. He would become just the ninth player—and third batter—to win three or more category titles since 1995. Randy Johnson holds the record with six category titles. The two other batters with three or more titles are Albert Pujols (five) and Albert Belle (three).
NL Batter of the Day
There is no separate NL Batter of the Day for Monday because the overall NL Player of the Day is batter Drew Gilbert.
Scoring
Montero earns 2.0 Box-Toppers points as Player of the Day.
Gilbert earns 1.7 points as NL Player of the Day.
Alonso earns 1.5 points as AL Batter of the Day.
All of Monday’s other Player of the Game winners (listed in the chart) earn 1.0 Box-Toppers point.
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. More on how Box-Toppers works.
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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).| 9/21 | BTG | Game | Player | AB | R | H | BI | IP | H | R | ER | BB | K | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLB | 7.0 | DET 9, WSH 2 | Keider Montero (W, 10‑9) | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | 4.0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 5 | |
| NL | 4.0 | SF 5, MIN 2 | Drew Gilbert CF | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | |
| BAT | 3.0 | BAL 4, TOR 3 | Pete Alonso 1B | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ | ‑ |
AL—Overall American League Player of the Day, worth 1.7 total Box‑Toppers points.
NL—Overall National League Player of the Day, worth 1.7 total Box‑Toppers points.
BAT—Top AL or NL Batter of the Day, worth 1.5 total Box‑Toppers points.
All other players listed here earn Player of the Game honors, worth 1.0 Box‑Toppers point.
` Pitcher had a no‑decision in the game and did not pick up a win or a save.
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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 (+/-).Back to top
| Player of the Game | Pos | Team | ’26 | ’25‑26 | ’21‑26 | Career | +/‑ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alonso, Pete 4118 | 1b | bal al | 9.7 | 16.9 | 51.8 | 60.3 | +2.5 |
| Montero, Keider 5057 | pi sp | det al | 8.7 | 12.7 | 17.4 | 17.4 | +4.7 |
| Gilbert, Drew 5275 | cf | sf nl | 1.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 2.7 | +0.7 |
About Box-Toppers’ team abbreviations
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A Box-Toppers look at Tuesday’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.Back to top
| Game | Starter | ’26 | ’25‑26 | ’21‑26 | Career |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TB | Martinez, Nick 3430 | 8.0 | 14.7 | 36.8 | 43.5 |
| NYY | Rodon, Carlos 3494 | 4.4 | 18.1 | 63.3 | 88.4 |
| TOR | Scherzer, Max 2588 | 3.0 | 6.0 | 58.5 | 259.7 |
| BAL | Bassitt, Chris 3413 | 2.0 | 9.0 | 61.5 | 80.6 |
| MIL | May, Dustin 4214 | 8.7 | 14.4 | 22.1 | 26.1 |
| PHI | Wheeler, Zack 3204 | 16.7 | 36.8 | 108.4 | 141.8 |
| STL | Pallante, Andre 4656 | 8.7 | 14.4 | 25.1 | 25.1 |
| PIT | Jones, Jared 4956 | 7.7 | 7.7 | 14.7 | 14.7 |
| WSH | Kent, Jackson* | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| DET | Anderson, Drew 4559 | 3.0 | 3.0 | 4.0 | 4.0 |
| CLE | Messick Parker 5266 | 10.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 |
| BOS | Tolle, Payton 5348 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 | 11.7 |
| TB | Rasmussen, Drew 4547 | 14.0 | 23.7 | 45.2 | 45.2 |
| NYY | Fried, Max 4011 | 12.0 | 26.4 | 76.6 | 93.3 |
| CIN | Williamson, Brandon 4813 | 2.7 | 2.7 | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| ATL | Ritchie, JR* | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| CHW | Kay, Anthony 4285 | 4.0 | 4.0 | 6.0 | 7.0 |
| KC | Lynch, Daniel 4488 | 1.0 | 3.0 | 13.4 | 13.4 |
| MIA | Junk, Janson 4697 | 4.0 | 8.7 | 10.4 | 10.4 |
| CHC | Gausman, Kevin 3191 | 8.0 | 22.1 | 77.2 | 120.2 |
| NYM | Manaea, Sean 3637 | 2.0 | 4.0 | 44.8 | 73.3 |
| TEX | Gore, MacKenzie 4582 | 10.0 | 18.7 | 38.4 | 38.4 |
| ARI | Soroka, Michael 3956 | 6.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 | 22.4 |
| COL | Freeland, Kyle 3763 | 4.7 | 8.7 | 29.4 | 49.8 |
| LAA | Kikuchi, Yusei 4136 | 1.0 | 8.7 | 41.1 | 46.8 |
| ATH | Basso, Brady 5469 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 | 1.0 |
| HOU | Javier, Cristian 4290 | 4.7 | 6.4 | 36.1 | 38.1 |
| SEA | Gilbert, Logan 4439 | 14.7 | 27.8 | 75.3 | 75.3 |
| MIN | Bradley, Taj 4780 | 14.4 | 20.4 | 37.5 | 37.5 |
| SF | Molina, Anthony 5112 | 3.7 | 3.7 | 4.7 | 4.7 |
| SD | King, Michael 4549 | 7.0 | 11.4 | 38.8 | 38.8 |
| LAD | Yamamoto, Yoshinobu 4964 | 17.4 | 35.1 | 41.5 | 41.5 |
* Player has yet to earn any career Box-Toppers points.
What are those numbers after players' names?
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