Kemp holds starting OF spot on NL ballot

June 18th, 2018

CHICAGO -- Matt Kemp is doing his part to return to the All-Star Game this year. So far, Dodgers fans are doing their part to get him into the starting lineup.
VOTE: 2018 Camping World MLB All-Star Ballot
In the latest Camping World MLB All-Star Ballot update announced on Monday on MLB Network, Kemp again received the third-most votes among National League outfielders in the fan vote for the 2018 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard. 
Fans may cast votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- on computers, tablets and smartphones -- exclusively online using the 2018 Camping World MLB All-Star Ballot until Thursday, July 5, at 8:59 p.m. PT. On smartphones and tablets, fans can also access the ballot via the MLB At Bat and MLB Ballpark mobile apps. Each fan can vote up to five times in any 24-hour period, for a maximum of 35 ballots cast.
Following the announcement of this year's All-Star starters, reserves and pitchers, fans should return to MLB.com and cast their 2018 Camping World MLB All-Star Final Vote for the final player on each league's roster. Then on Tuesday, July 17, while watching the 2018 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 2018 MLB All-Star Game MVP Vote.
The 89th Midsummer Classic, at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C., 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 of the All-Star Game. 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.
Kemp (925,697) is behind Atlanta's (1,173,653) and Washington's (1,002,696) at his position, making him the highest-ranking Dodgers player in the second update. Kemp is a two-time All-Star, but his last appearance was in 2012.
According to Statcast™, Kemp's offensive revival can be explained, in part, to his barrel rate or the percentage of batted balls that are barreled. This year's rate is 13.3 percent. That compares to 9.4 percent in 2017, 11.1 percent in '16 and 8.3 percent in '15.
The only other Dodgers among top vote-getters at their position are (294,418), who is fourth among first basemen, and (333,549), who moved up to fifth among catchers. Bellinger was an All-Star last year as a rookie, and Grandal went to the Midsummer Classic in 2015, his first season with the Dodgers.