CHICAGO -- The second returns on the All-Star voting showed little movement for the Marlins, but their leading candidates aren't out of the race just yet.
While the Marlins have surged, entering their series with the Cubs having won seven of their last eight, two of the team's outfielders sit within striking distance of the final outfielder spot in the 2017 All-Star Game, though they're going to need a similar surge of their own at some point.
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The second returns showed Giancarlo Stanton -- a three-time All-Star (2012, 14-15) -- is seventh in the voting for National League outfielders, totaling 398,569 votes. That puts him fewer than 100,000 votes behind Jason Heyward, who is in third. For reference, the margin between Heyward and Charlie Blackmon -- who sits one spot above him -- is nearly 500,000 votes.
In addition to Stanton, the Marlins also have Marcell Ozuna in eighth on that same list. Ozuna, who was a first-time selection last season, has been having a massive season, slashing .325/.390/.566 and entering the series against the Cubs with seven multi-hit games in his last nine starts.
Stanton, on the other hand, has started to heat up as the season has progressed. Entering Monday he'd tallied six runs in his last three games and had posted a 1.299 OPS for the month. Stanton's batting average, slugging percentage and OPS have also risen through each month of the season.
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-Starroster. 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.