Hosmer takes lead at 1B amid close AL races
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With the 88th All-Star Game presented by MasterCard exactly three weeks away, the Royals' Eric Hosmer is making moves in the voting for the starting lineups, vaulting to the top spot among American League first basemen.
Major League Baseball released the fourth update of the AL side of the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot on Tuesday, and no player made a bigger jump in the leaderboards than Hosmer, who leapfrogged both the Tigers' Miguel Cabrera and the Athletics' Yonder Alonso to take over the position lead.
The remainder of the top vote-getters at each position remained the same, though close races are being waged, especially for the third outfield spot and at designated hitter.
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Here are the latest AL results:
CATCHER
- Salvador Perez, Royals: 1,453,088 votes
- Brian McCann, Astros: 1,051,138
- Gary Sánchez, Yankees: 1,045,471
- Welington Castillo, Orioles: 926,455
- Yan Gomes, Indians: 666,107
Sanchez eclipsed the 1-million-vote threshold, surpassing Castillo in the process, during a week in which he went 6-for-16 (.375) with a homer and five RBIs. But it's Perez who still has a strong grip on the top spot at the position.
Perez, who homered on Sunday to power the Royals to a victory over the Angels, is in the driver's seat as he looks to earn a trip to the Midsummer Classic for the fifth straight season.
FIRST BASE - Eric Hosmer, Royals: 936,734
- Yonder Alonso, Athletics: 887,645
- Miguel Cabrera, Tigers: 831,289
- Justin Smoak, Blue Jays: 787,787
- Carlos Santana, Indians: 722,315
Hosmer is the biggest riser this week despite picking up just five hits in his six games last week. Fans appear to be voting based on his cumulative numbers for the season: he leads AL first basemen with 81 hits and a .308 batting average and is tied for second with 16 doubles.
This race is still far from over, however, with all five candidates within reach of the top spot. Alonso and Smoak are in the midst of career years, while Cabrera and Santana have the ability to get hot at any time.
SECOND BASE - Jose Altuve, Astros: 2,185,035
- Starlin Castro, Yankees: 1,450,472
- Jason Kipnis, Indians: 703,131
- Dustin Pedroia, Red Sox: 429,194
- Robinson Canó, Mariners: 417,347
Altuve becomes the first second baseman in the league to reach 2 million votes as he keeps chugging along with a .326/.397/.528 slash line, 10 home runs and 12 stolen bases. Castro has been extremely impressive as well, pacing the position with 88 hits to go along with 12 home runs and 43 RBIs.
Pedroia surpassed Cano in votes, but has struggled to stay healthy this season. He's been good when on the field, though, batting .296 with two homers and 25 RBIs in 55 games.
THIRD BASE - Miguel Sanó, Twins: 1,302,090
- José Ramírez, Indians: 891,731
- Josh Donaldson, Blue Jays: 810,648
- Manny Machado, Orioles: 803,921
- Alex Bregman, Astros: 688,450
Sano still holds the top spot at the hot corner and leads all Major League third basemen with a .944 OPS. The Minnesota star is on pace for a career year, hitting .286 with 16 homers and 48 RBIs.
Donaldson passes Machado in this week's installment even though he missed more than a month of action early in the season. The Blue Jays' slugger has a .998 OPS and eight homers in just 29 games.
SHORTSTOP - Carlos Correa, Astros: 1,658,255
- Francisco Lindor, Indians: 1,300,013
- Didi Gregorius, Yankees: 871,601
- Xander Bogaerts, Red Sox: 750,708
- Troy Tulowitzki, Blue Jays: 507,763
The leaderboard at shortstop looks the same as it did a week ago, but Correa has extended his lead over Lindor while enjoying a five-game span in which he went 8-for-19 (.421) with two home runs, three RBIs and five runs scored.
Bogaerts is racking up hits as he paces the position with 84 and has already set a career high with a league-leading four triples.
DESIGNATED HITTER - Nelson Cruz, Mariners: 1,118,873
- Matt Holliday, Yankees: 927,247
- Corey Dickerson, Rays: 926,163
- Edwin Encarnación, Indians: 813,715
- Evan Gattis, Astros: 713,918
Cruz, who has 14 home runs and 53 RBIs, maintains his position atop the vote-getters at designated hitter, but Dickerson and Encarnacion are gaining ground.
Dickerson hit .346 with a homer and a triple and three RBIs last week, while Encarnacion went ballistic, clubbing four long balls with eight walks, 10 runs scored and 10 RBIs in seven games.
OUTFIELD - Aaron Judge, Yankees: 2,631,284
- Mike Trout, Angels: 2,030,074
- George Springer, Astros: 1,176,951
- Michael Brantley, Indians: 1,001,254
- Avisaíl García, White Sox: 970,994
- Mookie Betts, Red Sox: 946,510
- Carlos Beltrán, Astros: 834,067
- Brett Gardner, Yankees: 760,869
- José Bautista, Blue Jays: 725,734
- Andrew Benintendi, Red Sox: 704,484
- Josh Reddick, Astros: 656,317
- Lonnie Chisenhall, Indians: 617,760
- Kevin Pillar, Blue Jays: 532,114
- Adam Jones, Orioles: 525,980
- Abraham Almonte, Indians: 518,150
Judge rules all when it comes to most votes among AL All-Star candidates and for good reason -- even with a down week, he's hitting .335/.445/.699 with 23 homers and 53 RBIs in one of the best rookie seasons in recent memory.
Trout, still recovering from a torn left thumb ligament, remains in second place, and Springer, who is batting .284 with 20 home runs and 45 RBIs, maintains his spot in third by a slim margin over Brantley.
Garcia swapped spots with Betts, as did Bautista and Benintendi, while Pillar moved from 15th to 13th, leapfrogging Jones and Almonte. But it was Chisenhall who had the best week on the field among outfielders, blasting three home runs and driving in 11 runs.
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Fans may cast votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, June 29, at 11:59 p.m. ET. On smartphones and tablets, fans can also access the ballot via the MLB.com At Bat and MLB.com Ballpark mobile apps. Vote up to five times in any 24-hour period for a maximum of 35 ballots cast.
Following the announcement of the 2017 All-Star starters, reserves and pitchers, fans should return to MLB.com and cast their 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player on each league's All-Star roster. Then on Tuesday, July 11, while watching the 2017 All-Star Game presented by MasterCard live on FOX, fans may visit MLB.com to submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet with the 2017 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote.
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