Players, clubs get creative for All-Star campaigns
Today marked the final push for clubs to see their best players prevail in the first Google MLB All-Star Starters Election. With the results being announced tonight on ESPN at 7 p.m. ET, here are how teams promoted their finalists for the starting nod.
Dodgers: Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson
Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen -- a three-time consecutive All-Star himself heading into this year -- is on the bandwagon for his two position player teammates in the Starters Election.
Greeting Los Angeles fans a good morning on Wednesday, Jansen graciously reminded them to go vote for Bellinger and Pederson, who are each up for their second career All-Star nod.
Enrique Hernandez got in on the action too. Hernandez's Instagram story (@kikehndez) included messages to vote for both Belli and Joc.
The Los Angeles Rams joined in as well.
The Braves have seven Starters Election finalists ... and Max Fried and Touki Toussaint want you to vote for all of them.
McCann even got a little extra endorsement from his former Astros teammate Alex Bregman, who he won a World Series with in 2017. Bregman's Instagram story (@abreg_1) showed some love for McCann in the NL, as well as his current Houston teammate finalists in the AL.
Atlanta-area musicians, including Big Boi, the Zac Brown Band and Jason Aldean, are also campaigning for the Braves' finalists.
Like the Braves, the Astros have seven Starters Election finalists. And of course Bregman wasn't only campaigning for McCann. His own team came first.
Bregman's Instagram story Wednesday (@abreg_1) started with a #VoteStros section.
Rockies: Charlie Blackmon, Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story
Blackmon is up for his fourth career All-Star appearance -- and third straight -- and he wants that starting spot in the Midsummer Classic.
The Rockies outfielder is trying to drum up support for the trio of Colorado finalists in the Starters Election -- he, third baseman Arenado (who's made four straight All-Star Games and started the last two) and shortstop Story (a first-time All-Star last season).
The Rockies reminded fans of the potential entertainment value to be gained from getting Blackmon back to the All-Star Game, tweeting a video of Blackmon's humorous interview while mic'd up during play at the 2018 Midsummer Classic.
Pirates: Josh Bell
The Pirates are going all out for Bell and are encouraging fans to join the “Ring the Vote” campaign.
The team invited fans to PNC Park for a “Ring the Vote” Josh Bell All-Star Voting Party from 5-9 p.m. ET on Wednesday while the club was in Houston to play the Astros. The event was free and open to the general public, with fans encouraged to send in their votes for Bell at a voting station positioned, appropriately enough, on the field at first base.
Bell finished second among NL first baseman with 1,831,933 votes in the first round of voting.
Angels: Mike Trout, Tommy La Stella
Trout, who led all American League players in votes during the primary round, is pulling for La Stella, a fellow New Jersey native, to earn the start at second base for the AL. It would be La Stella’s first All-Star nod. La Stella had just 10 career home runs entering this season, but he has hit 16 during a breakout first half.
The Angels did their part to support both players on Twitter.
And Tyler Skaggs, Shohei Ohtani and Ippei Mizuhara showed their support for La Stella as well.
Rangers: Joey Gallo, Hunter Pence
On his 43rd birthday Thursday, Rangers manager Chris Woodward had one wish: getting Gallo and Pence to the All-Star Game.
Pence took to Instagram (@hunterpence) to remind Rangers fans to also vote for his teammate, outfielder Joey Gallo. Pence's Instagram story on Tuesday night and Wednesday included "Vote Gallo" campaigning.
And Gallo returned the favor, with a little help from teammate Ronald Guzman, on his Instagram page by urging fans to vote for Pence as the camera panned to Pence taking warm-up swings outside the visitors dugout at Comerica Park.
"You've got to vote for Hunter Pence!" Guzman said, adding that "he has the best pants in the league and the best warm-up swings in the league!"
As Pence took his cuts, Gallo said, "Look at this warm-up swing, ladies and gentlemen. You don't want that in the All-Star Game?"
Reminding fans to vote for Pence, the Rangers tweeted a Q&A session with the effervescent veteran, a Fort Worth native, on Thursday morning.
And Dallas Mavericks legend Dirk Nowitzki showed his loyalties still lie in the DFW, even in retirement.
Royals: Hunter Dozier
Kansas City is making a push for Dozier via the team’s social media. Dozier was third among AL third baseman with 746,742 votes in the first round of voting.
Royals legends George Brett and Bret Saberhagen even chimed in.
Enthusiasm for Dozier's All-Star campaign was also evident around Kauffman Stadium on Wednesday.
Indians: Carlos Santana
With this year’s All-Star Game in Cleveland, the Indians are fighting to make Santana a first-time All-Star at his home ballpark. Santana hopes to become the first Indians first baseman to start a Midsummer Classic since Jim Thome in 1999.
The Indians made “#VoteLos” T-shirts for players to wear on Wednesday and, in conjunction with Major League Baseball, will be hosting a sweepstakes that automatically gives each person who votes a chance to throw out the ceremonial first pitch and receive tickets to the Tribe's game against the Rangers on Aug. 5.
The Tribe also got out in force on Instagram. Francisco Lindor (@lindor12bc), Jake Bauers (@jakebauers) and Jordan Luplow (@j_luppp) all used their Instagram stories to promote Santana's All-Star campaign.
And then, of course, there was a demonstration of the multi-talented Santana doing his thing.
The Cavaliers and Browns also showed their Cleveland pride by supporting the #VoteLos campaign.
D-backs: Ketel Marte
The D-backs have been heavily promoting Marte on Twitter. On Monday, the club provided a behind-the-scenes look at the second baseman/center fielder, who already has a career-high 20 home runs this season and set a franchise record with his eighth straight multihit game on Tuesday.
Marte's teammates have also joined in on the act, and are even dressing in their best Marte outfits (Marte often dresses in flashy threads) for their flight to San Francisco ahead of their series with the Giants.
“Today is [dress in] our best Ketel Marte outfit,” manager Torey Lovullo said. “So we’re doing that in support of him. So you’re going to see some outfits today that are going to be pretty extravagant, but it spells Ketel and that’s what it’s all about. It’s his day today.”
“I haven’t seen them all," Marte said when asked who he thought was dressed the best. "I have to see so I can pick one.”
Brewers: Christian Yelich, Mike Moustakas, Yasmani Grandal
The Brewers are aiming to have three players start the All-Star Game, and their finalists have been getting the word out.
Twins: C.J. Cron, Nelson Cruz, Jorge Polanco, Eddie Rosario
The #BombaSquad is powering up with the #BombaBallot.
In an effort to help the quartet of Twins sluggers make it to Cleveland for the Midsummer Classic, the club has announced a promotion in which fans who #VoteTwins at twinsbaseball.com/vote during the Starters Election period can purchase Ballpark Access tickets to any Monday-Thursday Twins home game in August -- for just $11.
Additionally, each fan will be entered into a Twins sweepstakes, with one winner receiving a trip for two to Cleveland for the All-Star Game.
To support the #BombaBallot, the Minneapolis Police Department brought one of its Bomb Squad vehicles to Target Plaza on Wednesday afternoon ahead of Minnesota's game against the Rays.
The Twins haven't had a player start the All-Star Game since Joe Mauer in 2013. Mauer, who retired after last season, joined in on the campaign to get the #BombaSquad elected.
Staff ace Jose Berrios voiced his support for Minnesota's candidates with a Twitter post, writing: "Let's get our boy's to the Allstars game POLLS ARE OPEN Head to http://twinsbaseball.com/vote to cast your BOMBA BALLOT!"
Yankees: Aaron Judge, Gary Sánchez, Luke Voit, Gleyber Torres, DJ LeMahieu, Gio Urshela
Yankees outfielder Cameron Maybin is working to get out the vote for his Bronx Bombers teammates. Six Yankees are on the ballot for the Starters Election, from superstars Judge and "The Kraken" to new faces LeMahieu and Urshela.
Torres, one of New York's finalists, picked a good day to deliver a walk-off hit, doing so Wednesday to give the Yanks an 8-7 win over the Blue Jays.
Rays: Austin Meadows
Rays catcher Mike Zunino cast his vote for his teammate Meadows, who is vying for his first All-Star nod. Ryan Yarbrough, Ryne Stanek and Emilio Pagan also did their part to drum up support for Meadows.
Red Sox: Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez
The Red Sox set up shop in different spots around Boston, offering free tickets to the first fans who reached each location and proved they voted for Betts and Martinez.
White Sox: James McCann
As the final voting period got underway Wednesday, the White Sox were quick to provide updates of McCann's big day at Fenway Park against the Red Sox and Chris Sale.
In a bit of cross-sport promotion, the Chicago Bulls also urged fans to vote for McCann.
The Cubs, who have a whopping seven finalists, offered fans a chance to win signed baseballs for voting.
Adbert Alzolay hasn't been in the Majors for long, but he showed support for his new teammates and called on the city of Chicago to vote for the Cubs' finalists.
Rockies, Rays, Indians and Royals
Four clubs are showing some cohesion by teaming up to promote each other’s finalists in a sort of voting bloc. The Rockies’ official Twitter account announced Tuesday afternoon that they were partnering with the Rays, Indians and Royals in an effort to push all their candidates to the top of the ballot.
Carlos Santana, Austin Meadows and Hunter Dozier are all vying for their first All-Star Game appearances, while the Rockies’ trio of Nolan Arenado, Charlie Blackmon and Trevor Story are seeking their fifth, fourth and second All-Star nods, respectively.