Altuve leads second basemen in A.L. All-Star Team voting

HOUSTON, TX - Major League Baseball announced today that Astros second baseman Jose Altuve is leading all American League second basemen in All-Star voting. Altuve has collected 1,301,754 votes as he contends for his third career Midsummer Classic selection (2012, 2014).

Altuve is aiming to become just the seventh player (10th overall) in Astros history to earn a fan-elected start, and the first to do so since Houston moved to the AL for the 2013 season. He would join Craig Biggio (1995-98) and Jeff Kent (2004) as Houston second basemen to earn a fan election, while the other Astros fan-elected starters include first basemen Lee May (1972), Jeff Bagwell (1997) and Lance Berkman (2008), and outfielder Cesar Cedeno (1973).

Altuve, 25, is batting .299 on the season with five home runs, nine doubles, 25 RBI, 23 runs scored and 14 stolen bases, which is tied for the most in the AL. He is followed at second base by 2010 NL All-Star Omar Infante of the Royals (715,345 votes).

Additionally, Astros shortstop Jed Lowrie currently ranks 4th among AL shortstops with 332,534 votes. He is behind the Royals Alcides Escobar (1,191,268 votes), the Tigers Jose Iglesias (826,382 votes) and the Athletics Marcus Semien (354,954 votes). Prior to being placed on the Disabled List with a right thumb ligament tear, Lowrie was hitting .300 (18x60) with four home runs, 10 RBI and a .999 OPS (.432 OBP/.567 SLG). Lowrie has not made an All-Star team in his eight-year Major League career.

For the first time, the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot is being conducted exclusively online. Fans around the world can cast their votes for starters 35 times exclusively at MLB.com and all 30 Club web sites, online or via their mobile devices, with the 2015 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot.

The 2015 All-Star Game will be played at Great American Ball Park on Tuesday, July 14th. The 86th All-Star Game will be televised nationally by FOX Sports; in Canada by Rogers Sportsnet and RDS; and worldwide by partners in more than 160 countries. ESPN Radio and ESPN Radio Deportes will provide exclusive national radio coverage of the All-Star Game. MLB Network, MLB.com and Sirius XM also will provide comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information, please visit allstargame.com.

-ASTROS-