Team-by-team breakdown of ASG finalists

June 26th, 2019

VOTE NOW! The All-Star Starters Election ballot is open until Thursday at 4 p.m. ET. Questions? Our complete guide to voting will fill you in on everything you need to know.

Finalists for the 2019 Google MLB All-Star Ballot were unveiled live on MLB Network on Friday night, as the three-week Primary phase of the voting came to an end and the All-Star Starters Election voting is underway.

The balloting process is now down to three players at each position (and nine outfielders), entering the final round of the new All-Star voting format.

Just as some clubs have soared above the competition when it comes to the 2019 standings, some have piled up finalists. Three teams are represented by seven finalists apiece and will fight it out to see who can get more into the starting lineups at Progressive Field in Cleveland on July 9.

The 51 total finalists are split between 17 different clubs -- 10 in the American League and seven in the National League. Eleven have more than one finalist. Here is a team-by-team breakdown of the results.

ASTROS (7): Robinson Chirinos, C; Jose Altuve, 2B; Alex Bregman, 3B; Carlos Correa, SS; Michael Brantley, OF; Josh Reddick, OF; George Springer, OF

Since going without an All-Star starter from 2009-14, Houston has had at least one in four straight seasons as the franchise has risen back to prominence. The Astros tied a franchise record by having three starters in their World Series-winning season (‘17). Each member of that trio -- Altuve, Correa and Springer -- is in the running again this year.

BRAVES (7): Brian McCann, C; Freddie Freeman, 1B; Ozzie Albies, 2B; Josh Donaldson, 3B; Dansby Swanson, SS; Ronald Acuña Jr., OF; Nick Markakis, OF

It’s an exciting time for Braves fans, with the club in position to grab its second consecutive NL East title. That’s reflected in these results, which feature all four of the team’s starting infielders. The group is a mix of youngsters and veterans, with the 21-year-old Acuña and 22-year-old Albies joining 35-year-olds Markakis and McCann. The last time any All-Star team featured two starting position players 22 or younger was 1967 (the Twins’ Rod Carew and the Red Sox’s Tony Conigliaro for the AL).

CUBS (7): Willson Contreras, C; Anthony Rizzo, 1B; Kris Bryant, 3B; Javier Baez, SS; Albert Almora Jr., OF; Jason Heyward, OF; Kyle Schwarber, OF

Contreras and Baez both started last year’s All-Star Game as well -- though Baez got the nod at second base, not shortstop -- and Bryant, Heyward and Rizzo also have previous starts under their belts. The franchise record for most All-Star starters in a season is four, set in 1936 and equaled in 2016, the same year Chicago snapped its infamous championship drought.

YANKEES (6): Gary Sanchez, C; Luke Voit, 1B; DJ LeMahieu, 2B; Gio Urshela, 3B; Gleyber Torres, SS; Aaron Judge, OF

The Yankees appear poised to add to their tally of 66 voting winners, easily the most for any franchise since voting was returned permanently to the fans in 1970. However, Judge is the only one of the team’s six finalists to have won before with the Yankees, doing so in each of the past two seasons. LeMahieu, Urshela and Voit all have been acquired by New York within the past year, while the 22-year-old Torres is in his second MLB season.

TWINS (4): C.J. Cron, 1B; Jorge Polanco, SS; Eddie Rosario, OF; Nelson Cruz, DH

Minnesota has been one of the best stories in baseball this season, building a large lead in the AL Central as the club goes in search of its first division title since 2010. The offense has been a driving force, with the Twins leading the Majors in runs per game, homers and slugging percentage. Polanco has established himself as a legitimate MVP candidate, while offseason acquisitions Cron and Cruz have added significant muscle to a sturdy lineup.

BREWERS (3): Yasmani Grandal, C; Mike Moustakas, 2B; Christian Yelich, OF

Only Cody Bellinger’s jaw-dropping first half has put a damper on Yelich’s defense of his 2018 NL MVP Award -- which he earned thanks in large part to a surge that came after last year’s Midsummer Classic. Milwaukee signed Grandal and Moustakas to one-year deals this past offseason -- in Moose’s case, re-signed -- and both have worked out as well as could be expected, putting the Brew Crew in position to make the postseason in back-to-back years for the first time since 1981-82.

ROCKIES (3): Nolan Arenado, 3B; Trevor Story, SS; Charlie Blackmon, OF

Arenado is trying to become the first Rockies player to start three straight All-Star Games since Todd Helton did so at first base from 2001-03. Blackmon also has a previous start to his credit (2017), while Story’s quest for his first may have been hampered by his recent trip to the injured list.

ANGELS (2): Tommy La Stella, 2B; Mike Trout, OF

At age 27, Trout already is a seven-time All-Star, has won the voting in each of the past six years and has started five times (missing due to injury in 2017). Assuming he plays in this year’s game, it would be his seventh, a franchise record. Trout has been at his best against the best, going 7-for-15 with two doubles, a triple, two home runs and three walks in his All-Star Game career.

DODGERS (2): Cody Bellinger, OF; Joc Pederson, OF

Bellinger is in the process of producing one of the best first halves in MLB history and almost certainly will be making his first All-Star Game start. He would be the fifth Dodgers outfielder to have that honor this decade, after Andre Ethier (2010), Matt Kemp (‘11, ‘18), Yasiel Puig (‘14) and Pederson (‘15).

RANGERS (2): Joey Gallo, OF; Hunter Pence, DH

Both Gallo and Pence are now on the injured list, which could hurt the Rangers’ chances of getting their first All-Star Game starter since 2012 (Adrian Beltre, Josh Hamilton, Mike Napoli). Gallo’s injury impeded a breakout campaign that had him in the AL MVP conversation, while Pence’s resurgence at age 36 has been one of the best baseball stories of the year.

RED SOX (2): Mookie Betts, OF; J.D. Martinez, DH

The defending champions had both Betts and Martinez start last year’s game, along with pitcher Chris Sale. The 2019 season has not been as smooth for Boston -- nor for Betts and Martinez individually -- but both remain highly productive. Betts is looking to start his fourth straight Midsummer Classic, which would make him the first Red Sox player to do so since Wade Boggs from 1986-92.

D-BACKS (1): Ketel Marte, 2B

Paul Goldschimdt, traded to St. Louis in the offseason, was responsible for three of the six All-Star Game starts by D-backs position players, including in 2018. But Marte has enjoyed a breakout season that includes 20 home runs, and he could join Jay Bell (1999) as Arizona second basemen to start in the Midsummer Classic.

INDIANS (1): Carlos Santana, 1B

Will Cleveland have a player start the game in its home ballpark? It will be up to Santana, who never made the AL squad during his first stint with the Tribe from 2010-17. Santana’s 1,350 career games through Thursday are fifth-most among active players who have never been selected for an All-Star team.

PIRATES (1): Josh Bell, 1B

It’s been a breakout season for Bell, who is trying to snap a long drought for the Bucs. No Pittsburgh player has started an All-Star Game in the infield since Bobby Bonilla manned the hot corner in 1988.

RAYS (1): Austin Meadows, OF

Tampa Bay may have struck gold by acquiring Meadows from Pittsburgh (along with pitcher Tyler Glasnow) in last summer’s Chris Archer trade. Less than a year later, Meadows is a big reason why the Rays are in the postseason chase, and he could become the fourth All-Star Game starting position player in franchise history.

ROYALS (1): Hunter Dozier, 3B

Kansas City’s streak of five straight seasons with an All-Star Game starter depends on Dozier, who was enjoying a breakout campaign before sustaining an oblique injury in late May. The only Royals third baseman to ever start a Midsummer Classic is Hall of Famer George Brett, who did so nine times between 1976-85.

WHITE SOX (1): James McCann, C

Last year, Jose Abreu became the first White Sox position player to start an All-Star Game since Frank Thomas in 1995. McCann could make it two in a row after signing with the club as a free agent this past offseason. The 29-year-old, who had a .240 career average through 2018, entered Friday batting .330 this season.

The 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard will be played on Tuesday, July 9, at Progressive Field in Cleveland. It will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 180 countries. FOX Deportes will provide Spanish-language coverage in the United States, while ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage. MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. During the game, fans may visit MLB.com and the 30 club sites to submit their choices for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @MLB and @AllStarGame on social media.