A look at Box-Toppers season-by-season AL & NL pitching & batting leaders, 1995-2023

Analyzing 29 years of Box-Toppers points leaders in pitching and batting in both leagues.

In 2023, Shohei Ohtani of the Angels, American League Most Valuable Player, was the only player who won a major postseason award and also led his Box-Toppers category (leading AL batters with 19.4). Also, Pete Alonso of the Mets became the ninth batter since 1995 to lead his league’s batters in Box-Toppers points more than once, leading NL batters for the second straight season.

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A pitchers vs. batters breakdown of each team’s Box-Toppers point total for 2023

The World Series champion Texas Rangers, leaders among all teams in Box-Toppers points in 2023, also led all teams in points earned by pitchers. The Los Angeles Dodgers, meanwhile, which finished third overall among all teams, had the most points won by batters in 2023.

Here is a look at how pitchers and batters contributed to each teams’ Box-Toppers point totals in 2023, including the share of total points won by pitchers and batters on each team.

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How 2023 Silver Sluggers winners fared in Box-Toppers rankings

Six of the 20 batters winning Silver Slugger Awards in 2023 were also among the leaders at their positions in 2023 Box-Toppers point totals.

The awards are given to the top batter in each position in both leagues, voted on by Major League Baseball coaches and managers. Box-Toppers, analyzing traditional box scores, tracks which player most helps his team win the most games, awarding points for the top player in each game.

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Can Shohei Ohtani continue his lofty, Angelic Box-Toppers rankings with Dodgers?

Shohei Ohtani, who signed a record free-agent deal with the Dodgers, has consistently been among Box-Toppers' highest-ranking players over the past three seasons.

However, his second surgery to repair his pitching elbow's ulnar collateral ligament, raises concerns about his future effectiveness. A Box-Toppers look at Ohtani’s career and the mixed outcomes of pitchers with a second elbow surgery.

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Box-Toppers 2023 year-end All-Star teams

The Box-Toppers All-Star teams for the 2023 regular season are led by overall Box-Toppers points leader, Braves pitcher Spencer Strider.

The American League and National League All-Star teams are composed of the players with the highest Box-Toppers point totals by position in each league. In addition to nine batters in each league are the top four starting pitchers in each league and the top closing pitcher.

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Blue Jays’ Bassitt tops players for Wednesday, Aug. 30, rising to 3rd in player rankings

Blue Jays pitcher Chris Bassitt is Wednesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to third in season player rankings.

Bassitt struck out three over eight scoreless innings, allowing three hits and one walk, in the 7-0 win over the Nationals.

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Top pitcher and batter in Box-Toppers points on each team at All-Star break

Shohei Ohtani leads all Angels pitchers in 2023 Box-Toppers points. He also leads all Angels batters in 2023 Box-Toppers points.

The overall 2023 Box-Toppers points leader (13.9) at the All-Star break is the only player to lead his team in both categories. On the other 29 clubs, pitchers have the most Box-Toppers points on 24 teams and batters lead four teams.

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Box-Toppers picks Mets over Yankees in 2023 World Series

Box-Toppers picks the New York Mets to win the 2023 World Series, beating the predicted American League champion New York Yankees.

Box-Toppers projects the Mets will have the most wins among all teams—104—and will be one of three teams with more than 100 wins, along with the Yankees and the San Diego Padres.

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ALCS Preview: Astros favored because of pitching advantage, but Yankees have bats

Box-Toppers numbers favor the Houston Astros over the New York Yankees in the upcoming American League Championship Series.

Both teams were the two top seeds among AL postseason teams (Astros in first, Yankees in second) and both teams dominated the AL all season, with one or the other leading Box-Toppers team rankings nearly every week of the season.

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