5 Royals reign in 1st All-Star ballot update
Your votes are being counted, and the early results point toward a potential changing of the guard in the American League at the 2015 Midsummer Classic. The first 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot update was released on Tuesday, revealing an AL landscape that has a distinct Kansas City flavor.
The league's top two vote-getters, three of the top six and four of the top eight play for the reigning AL champs and first-place Royals, with Salvador Perez (1,447,753) leading the league's catchers, Lorenzo Cain (1,376,217) leading the outfielders, Mike Moustakas (1,261,769) leading at third base and Alcides Escobar (1,191,268) leading at shortstop.
Complete results: AL All-Star ballot update
Kansas City's Alex Gordon (991,606) joins Cain among the top three vote-getting outfielders, with reigning AL MVP Award winner Mike Trout (1,297,085) sandwiched in between.
Behind Perez and Cain in the overall voting stands perennial All-Star Miguel Cabrera (1,347,351), who leads the way at first base. The Astros' Jose Altuve (1,301,754) leads at second base and the Mariners' Nelson Cruz (1,225,255) is the leading vote-getter at designated hitter.
The closest race is at first base, where Kansas City's Eric Hosmer (1,101,738) trails Cabrera by 245,613 votes.
Escobar leads Detroit's Jose Iglesias (826,382) in the competition to start at shortstop, while Cruz and Kansas City's Kendrys Morales (918,049) are dueling for the starting designated-hitter spot.
Perez leads the A's Stephen Vogt (795,848) and the rest of the league's catchers, and Moustakas leads the Blue Jays' Josh Donaldson (876,586) at third base. Altuve is up on Kansas City's Omar Infante (715,345), giving the Royals a contending player at each position.
Fans can cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on their computers, tablets and smartphones -- using the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot until Thursday, July 2, at 11:59 p.m. ET. For the first time, voting is exclusively online, where fans may submit up to 35 ballots.
Fans may also receive the ballot by texting VOTE to 89269 (USA) or 101010 (Canada). Or text VOTA for a ballot in Spanish. Message and data rates may apply. Up to five messages. No purchase required. Reply STOP to cancel. Reply HELP for info.
Following the announcement of the 2015 All-Stars, be sure to return to MLB.com and cast your 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote for the final player for each league's All-Star roster. On Tuesday, July 14, watch the 2015 All-Star Game live on FOX, and during the game visit MLB.com to submit your choice for the Ted Williams Most Valuable Player Award presented by Chevrolet via the 2015 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote.
MLB.com will provide extensive online coverage of All-Star Week festivities.
The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX, in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS, and worldwide by partners in more than 200 countries via MLB International's independent feed. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network and SiriusXM will also provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.