KANSAS CITY -- Royals manager Ned Yost's plea last week to Royals fans to start voting for first baseman Eric Hosmer appears to be paying off.
Hosmer, a Miami native, has pulled in front at first base in the latest American League update on Tuesday for the 2017 Esurance MLB All-Star Game Ballot. Also, Royals catcher Salvador Perez continues to lead in voting at catcher with 1,453,088 votes -- more than 400,000 votes ahead of Houston's Brian McCann.
"I'm really excited," Hosmer said. "It means a lot. The fans here in Kansas City are rallying behind me to try and get me to go."
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Hosmer, who ranked third among first basemen last week, has received 936,734 votes to jump ahead of Oakland's Yonder Alonso (887,645) and Detroit's Jose Cabrera (831,289). With a fan-elected start, Hosmer, the reigning All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award winner, would become the third Royals player to earn consecutive fan elections, joining Hall of Famer George Brett (11 straight at third base from 1976-86) and Perez, who is seeking his third straight fan election.
"[Hosmer] had a big jump, but we still want Lorenzo Cain, [Moustakas] and [Jason] Vargas, OK?" Perez said. "Thank you [Royals fans] for doing a tremendous job for Hosmer. Now it's time to put Moose and Cain -- and don't forget about me, too."
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 10:59 p.m. CT. 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.