It is with great pleasure that we have brought back the Notinhalloffame MLB Regular Cup, and let us explain how this works:

For every regular-season game, we anointed the best five players with descending points, 5-4-3-2-1. 

We know the following:

• The top players for the MLB NIHOF Cup are not always the best in the league, as injuries keep players out of games, and a premium on staying healthy can help pile up points. It also does not hurt to be a top player on an average or mediocre team, as they can amass Cup points more easily than elite players on loaded squads.
• In Baseball, it is more common than in Basketball and Hockey for a player to accrue points with a single Home Run in a game, which favors position players. Starting Pitchers have a hard time with approximately 30-35 Starts and throwing fewer innings than previous generations. This is also true for closers not made for this process.
• Please remember that this is NOT necessarily who we think were the best players this year and does not reflect overall consistency. Treat this the way we did: as a fun process and more of a compilation of temporary statistical domination.

Here is the current top ten after games concluded on May 26.

1. Aaron Judge, New York Yankees: 96 Cup Points in 53 Games. (#1 Last Week).  4.3 bWAR, 51 Runs, 80 Hits, 18 Home Runs, 47 Runs Batted In, .398/.492/.756 Slash Line, 1.248 OPS & 251 OPS+.

2. Pete Alonso, New York Mets: 78 Cup Points in 54 Games. (#2 Last Week).   1.7 bWAR, 30 Runs, 58 Hits, 10 Home Runs, 40 Runs Batted In, .291/.392/.533 Slash Line, .925 OPS & 164 OPS+.

3.  Rafael Devers, Boston Red Sox: 72 Cup Points in 56 Games.  (#7 Last Week).  1.9 bWAR, 36 Runs, 60 Hits, 12 Home Runs, 48 Runs Batted In, .288/.409/.534 Slash Line, .943 OPS & 163 OPS+.

4. Francisco Lindor, New York Mets: 59 Cup Points in 41 Games. (#5 Last Week).   1.4 bWAR, 32 Runs, 58 Hits, 10 Home Runs, 30 Runs Batted In, .272/.347/.455 Slash Line, .802 OPS & 129 OPS+

5. Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles Dodgers:  66 Cup Points in 52 Games.  (#3 Last Week).  2.7 bWAR, 57 Runs, 62 Hits, 19 Home Runs, 33 Runs Batted In, .295/.392/.648 Slash Line, 1.039 OPS & 191 OPS+.

6. Bobby Witt Jr., Kansas City Royals:  63 Cup Points in 55 Games.  (#3 Last Week).  2.6 bWAR, 29 Runs, 63 Hits, 5 Home Runs, 28 Runs Batted In, .293/.353/.464 Slash Line, .836 OPS & 134 OPS+.

7. Spencer Torkelson, Detroit Tigers: 62 Cup Points in 54 Games. (#9 Last Week).  1.5 bWAR, 34 Runs, 46 Hits, 13 Home Runs, 40 Runs Batted In, .243/.357/.524 Slash Line, .881 OPS & 148 OPS+.

8. (TIE) Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks: 60 Cup Points in 54 Games. (#8 Last Week).   1.9 bWAR, 40 Runs, 58 Hits, 15 Home Runs, 34 Runs Batted In, .260/.332/.556 Slash Line, .888 OPS & 143 OPS+.

8. (TIE) Isaac Paredes, Houston Astros: 60 Cup Points in 52 Games. (Not in the Top Ten Last Week).   2.2 bWAR, 29 Runs, 54 Hits, 11 Home Runs, 31 Runs Batted In, .276/.377/.490 Slash Line, .867 OPS & 145 OPS+.

10. (TIE) Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles Dodgers: 59 Cup Points in 43 Games.  (#9 Last Week).  2.2 bWAR, 30 Runs, 57 Hits, 9 Home Runs, 35 Runs Batted In, .361/.432/.633 Slash Line, 1.065 OPS & 200 OPS+.

10. (TIE) Bryce Harper, Philadelphia Phillies: 59 Cup Points in 53 Games.  (Not in the Last Week).  2.5 bWAR, 30 Runs, 54 Hits, 8 Home Runs, 33 Runs Batted In, .267/.372/.450 Slash Line, .823 OPS & 129 OPS+.

San Diego’s Fernando Tatis Jr. fell off the top ten.

Notably, 729 baseball players have earned at least 1 point, up from 794 last week.

When the Tampa Bay Rays obtained Isaac Paredes from Detroit just before the 2022 season started, many in baseball saw it mainly as a straightforward trade for outfielder Austin Meadows. The Tigers had struggled to develop the young infielder, who scored only two home runs in a brief 57-game stint in Michigan. In contrast, the Rays' front office recognized Paredes as a hitter with exceptional pull-side instincts, making him ideally suited for Tropicana Field.

The change of scenery quickly revealed Paredes' potential. Moving around the diamond to cover first, second, and third bases, he brought an unexpected boost of power to the lineup, hitting 20 home runs in 111 games during his 2022 debut. He not only found his footing but also became an essential high-leverage weapon for Kevin Cash.

That initial surge paved the way for a spectacular breakout in 2023. Paredes became the team's offensive focal point, hitting 31 home runs and driving in 98 runs with a strong .488 slugging percentage. He utilized a unique ability to pull the ball with significant lift, making him one of the most effective home run threats in the American League and earning MVP support in voting. In 2024, he confirmed his stardom by earning his first selection to the American League All-Star team.

However, as the Rays slid out of the postseason race by midsummer, the front office executed a typical, forward-looking maneuver. Ahead of the July trade deadline, they traded the freshly minted All-Star to the Chicago Cubs for Christopher Morel and a pair of pitching prospects, capitalizing on Paredes' skyrocketing market value.

With Tampa, Paredes played 355 games, with 280 hits, 67 home runs, and 198 RBIs. He had a .234/.338/448 slash line and a 124 OPS+.