
Read our FAQ on this year’s revamped balloting format, which includes two phases of fan voting to determine the All-Star starters, and the ability to vote through Google Search.
ATLANTA -- Freddie Freeman and Ronald Acuña Jr. lead the list of Braves included on the 2019 Google MLB All-Star Ballot, which brings major change to the selection system for All-Star Game starters.
The online ballot, which was released Tuesday, gives fans a chance to spend the next few weeks determining who will be in the starting lineup for this year’s All-Star Game. Freeman and Braves right fielder Nick Markakis were both elected to serve as starters in last year’s Midsummer Classic.
Here’s a look at the Braves’ candidates on this year’s ballot:
Freeman: The three-time All-Star’s bid to earn a second straight start has been strengthened as he has hit .377 with six homers and a 1.151 OPS over his past 17 games. Freeman ranks third among National League first basemen with a 2.0 fWAR (Fangraphs’ WAR model) and 157 Weighted Runs Created Plus.
Acuna: The 20-year-old outfielder has slumped over the past week, but he still ranks seventh among NL outfielders with 1.2 fWAR and 12th with 124 wRC+.
Markakis: The veteran outfielder earned his first career All-Star selection last year. His struggles against left-handed pitchers have weakened this year’s bid, but he still ranks among the top 20 NL outfielders in both fWAR and wRC+
Dansby Swanson: The former first overall Draft pick appears to be in the midst of a breakout season, but his first All-Star bid will prove challenging as he is part of a talent-rich group of shortstops. He entered Tuesday ranked sixth among NL shortstops in fWAR and wRC+.
Josh Donaldson: The former American League Most Valuable Player Award winner has not yet lived up to the expectations set when he signed a one-year, $23 million deal. But a surge over the next couple weeks could help the third baseman as he competes in a field that includes Nolan Arenado, Kris Bryant, Anthony Rendon and Manny Machado.
Ozzie Albies: The 22-year-old second baseman hasn’t matched the torrid pace he produced during last year’s first half. But a strong June could lead voters to select him instead of Ketel Marte, Mike Moustakas or Kolten Wong.
Brian McCann: The veteran catcher earned an All-Star election in each of his first six full seasons with the Braves (2006-11), and he was named the MVP of the ‘10 Midsummer Classic.
Ender Inciarte: The three-time Gold Glove Award winner, who represented Atlanta at the 2017 All-Star Game, will likely remain on the injured list over the next few weeks.
Fans may vote in "The Primary" at MLB.com and all 30 club sites, the MLB At Bat and MLB Ballpark apps up to five times in any 24-hour period. Fans in the US and Canada can also vote on Google Search for every position, or up to 17 unique players per day, by searching "MLB Vote" or the names of their favorite players. Primary voting ends at 4 p.m. ET on Friday, June 21.
The top three vote-getters at each position (including nine outfielders) per league will move on to "The Starters Election," which begins at noon ET on Wednesday, June 26. The votes will reset for a 28-hour voting window that ends at 4 p.m. ET on Thursday, June 27. Starters for the 2019 Midsummer Classic will be unveiled on ESPN that night at 7 ET. The pitchers and reserves will be announced on Sunday, June 30, at 5:30 p.m. ET.
Then on Tuesday, July 9, during the 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard, 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.
The 90th Midsummer Classic, at Progressive Field in Cleveland, 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. For more information about MLB All-Star Week and to purchase tickets, please visit AllStarGame.com and follow @MLB and @AllStarGame on social media.