NLCS preview: Brewers hold Box-Toppers advantages, but Dodgers bring experience

Box-Toppers favors the top-seed Milwaukee Brewers over the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2025 National League Championship Series.

The Dodgers are the third-seeded NL playoff team but rank higher than the Brewers in final 2025 Box-Toppers team rankings—in fifth place overall with their players accumulating 117.9 Box-Toppers points during the season, third among NL teams and most among surviving postseason teams. Brewers players have a combined 112.6 Box-Toppers points in 2025, ninth among all teams and fifth among NL teams.

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White Sox’ Smith tops players for Sunday, Sept. 28; Kershaw is top player in final start

White Sox pitcher Shane Smith is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day on the last day of the regular season.

Other Player of the Game winners Sunday include Phillies pitcher Cristopher Sánchez, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Braves pitcher Chris Sale, Alejandro Kirk of the Blue Jays, Marlins pitcher Edward Cabrera and Jackson Merrill of the Padres.

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Kershaw's chance to pass Johnson’s career points record slips away in next-to-last start

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw will not pass Randy Johnson for the Box-Toppers-era career points record after failing to win Player of the Game honors in his next-to-last career start Friday.

Also, Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal all but secured 2025 Box-Toppers Player of the Year honors Friday after Red Sox pitcher Garrett Crochet, who was the only player with a realistic chance of passing him, failed to win Player of the Game honors in his next-to-last start of the season.

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Reds’ Greene tops players Sunday, Sept. 7; Kershaw nears ‘all-time’ career points record

Reds pitcher Hunter Greene is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Sunday, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw now has 279.8 career Box-Toppers points, edging closer to the Box-Toppers-era “all-time” career points leader, Randy Johnson (282.5 points).

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Angels’ Soriano tops players for Sunday, Aug. 31; Skubal passes Wheeler to lead players

Angels pitcher José Soriano is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Sunday, Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal rises to first place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors, passing Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler, who had led since May 11.

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Rangers’ Corbin tops players for Tuesday, Aug. 26; Dodgers’ Kershaw tops NL players

Rangers pitcher Patrick Corbin is Tuesday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Other Player of the Game winners Tuesday include Red Sox pitcher Lucas Giolito, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees and Ozzie Albies of the Braves.

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Orioles’ Young tops players for Friday, Aug. 15; Brewers’ Yelich extends NL batting lead

Orioles pitcher Brandon Young is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, earning his first career Box-Toppers points.

Also Friday, Christian Yelich of the Brewers extends his lead among National League batters in 2025 Box-Toppers points—becoming the first batter to reach 10 Box-Toppers points this season—after earning NL Batter of the Day honors.

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White Sox’ Civale tops players for Saturday, Aug. 2; Tigers’ Skubal maintains 2nd place

White Sox pitcher Aaron Civale is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Saturday, Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal earns Box-Toppers Player of the Game honors, maintaining second place overall and extending his lead among American League pitchers. Other Player of the Game winners Saturday include Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff, Francisco Lindor of the Mets, Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer, Rangers pitcher Merrill Kelly and Trevor Story of the Red Sox.

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Yankees’ Rodón tops players for Friday, July 11, rising to 6th in player rankings

Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodón is Friday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day, rising to sixth in player rankings.

Other Player of the Game winners Friday include Cal Raleigh of the Mariners, Rockies pitcher Germán Márquez, Sean Murphy of the Braves, Ceddanne Rafaela of the Red Sox and Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer.

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Rays’ Baz tops players for Thursday, June 26; Astros’ Brown rises to 2nd place overall

Rays pitcher Shane Baz is Thursday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Thursday, Astros pitcher Hunter Brown rises to second place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors, taking the lead among American League pitchers.

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Braves’ Strider tops players for Saturday, June 14; Astros’ Brown rises to 5th place

Braves pitcher Spencer Strider is Saturday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Saturday, Astros pitcher Hunter Brown rises to fifth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning Player of the Game honors. Other Player of the Game winners Saturday include Athletics pitcher Jacob Lopez, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, Tyler Stephenson of the Reds and Taylor Walls of the Rays.

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Mariners’ Kirby tops players for Sunday, June 8; Pirates’ Skenes rises to 6th place

Mariners pitcher George Kirby is Sunday’s Box-Toppers Player of the Day.

Also Sunday, Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes rises to sixth place in Box-Toppers season player rankings after earning National League Player of the Day honors. In addition, Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw extends his streak of earning Box-Toppers points to 18 consecutive seasons Sunday, the longest active streak, and also extends his lead in career Box-Toppers points among active players.

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Box-Toppers tracking began 30 years ago—April 25, 1995

On April 25, 1995, the Los Angeles Dodgers beat the Florida Marlins, 8-7, to open the 1995 regular season.

That game 30 years ago today marked the beginning of Box-Toppers. Now in its 31st season, Box-Toppers has analyzed box scores from more than 70,000 regular season games and determining a top player in each game.

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A look at Box-Toppers season-by-season AL & NL pitching & batting leaders, 1995-2024

A look at Box-Toppers season-by-season leaders chart for each of the past 30 seasons, including the leaders in Box-Toppers points each season among four main categories—American League and National League pitchers and batters.

Also, a look at how often Box-Toppers leaders win major postseason awards (Cy Young and Most Valuable Player), what players have led a Box-Toppers season category most often since tracking began in 1995 and what teams have had the most category leaders in 30 seasons. Also, a look at the lowest point totals to lead a season category, which includes 2024 leaders.

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