CHICAGO -- The Cubs' Kristopher Bryant maintained his lead among National League third basemen and Jason Heyward held onto a starting spot among outfielders in the latest Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot update, released Monday. The 2017 MLB All-Star Game presented by MasterCard will be played July 11 in Miami.
Bryant has received 1,248,348 votes, while Heyward (737,147 votes) is third behind Bryce Harper of the Nationals (2,132,795) and Charlie Blackmon of the Rockies (1,588,498) in the race to start in the outfield.
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Heyward held on in the NL's closest race. Teammate Benjamin Zobrist was fourth in fan balloting among outfielders with 678,795 votes, followed by the Braves' Matt Kemp (641,728), and the Marlins' Marcell Ozuna (613,356) and Giancarlo Stanton (603,290). The Cubs' Kyle Schwarber has received 599,910 votes, good for eighth place.
The Cubs' Anthony Rizzo and Javier Baez are second at their respective positions. Rizzo has received 950,851 votes, and he trails the Nationals' Ryan Zimmerman (1,060,532 votes), while Baez has received 1,029,025 votes and is second to the Nationals' Daniel Murphy (1,745,231).
Chicago's Willson Contreras is second among NL catchers, receiving 740,372 votes. The Giants' Buster Posey has a big lead with 1,357,467 votes.
The Cubs made All-Star history last year by becoming the second team to have its entire infield to start an All-Star Game as Rizzo, Zobrist, Russell and Bryant were elected to the NL team. The only other team to accomplish that feat was the 1963 Cardinals.
How many players from the defending World Series champs will make it this time? 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.
The 88th Midsummer Classic, at Marlins Park in Miami, 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, while MLB Network, MLB.com and SiriusXM will have comprehensive All-Star Week coverage. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @AllStarGame on social media.
This is the first time Schwarber, Baez and Contreras have been included on the All-Star ballot.