HOUSTON -- Major League Baseball announced tonight that Astros third baseman Alex Bregman and outfielders George Springer and Michael Brantley have been elected to start the 2019 MLB All-Star Game at Progressive Field in Cleveland, Ohio. 

This marks the second time in franchise history that the Astros will have three position players start the All-Star Game. This also occurred in 2017, when second baseman Jose Altuve, shortstop Carlos Correa and center fielder George Springer all started the All-Star Game in the American League’s 2-1 win over the National League.

Bregman, Springer and Brantley were voted into the All-Star Game as starters by the fans as part of the newly-created “Starters Election”, a 28-hour online voting period that featured three finalists at each position (and the top nine outfielders).

Bregman topped Kansas City’s Hunter Dozier and New York’s Gio Urshela for the top spot among third basemen in the Starters Election. This will mark Bregman’s second-career All-Star Game and first-career All-Star start, as he was named to the 2018 All-Star Game as a reserve for the American League. Bregman became the first player in franchise history to be named the MVP of the All-Star Game after hitting a go-ahead homer in the 10th inning in the AL’s 8-6 win in 2018. This season, Bregman has been one of the top players in the American League, as he entered today’s games in the top-five among AL players in walks (T-2nd, 59), homers (T-3rd, 22), on-base percentage (4th, .394) and OPS (4th, .934). He will become the first Astros third baseman to start an All-Star Game.

Springer and Brantley finished second and third, respectively, in voting among the nine outfield finalists in the Starters Election, trailing only Mike Trout of the Angels for the top spot among AL outfielders. The duo will become the first pair of Astros outfielders ever to start the same All-Star Game. The last MLB team to have two of its outfielders start the same All-Star Game was the 2016 Red Sox (RF Mookie Betts and LF Jackie Bradley Jr.).

The 2019 season marks Springer’s third-career All-Star selection and second-career All-Star start. Springer was the AL’s starting left fielder in 2017, and was tabbed as a reserve for the AL in the 2018 All-Star Game. The former 2017 World Series MVP and the game’s premier leadoff hitter is in the midst of a career year in which he is posting career-best numbers in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.393), slugging percentage (.653) and OPS (1.046). 

For Brantley, this marks his fourth-career All-Star Game selection and first-career All-Star Game start, as he made the AL All-Star Team as a reserve in 2018, 2017 and 2014. In his first season with the Astros after signing with the club as a free agent, Brantley has been one of the most productive hitters in the AL. Entering today’s games, he was tied for the MLB-lead in multi-hit games (33), while ranking fifth in the AL in batting average (.317) and fifth in hits (96).

In addition to 2017, the Astros also had three players start the All-Star Game in 2004, when RHP Roger Clemens was the starting pitcher for the NL squad alongside center fielder Lance Berkman and second baseman Jeff Kent.

To advance to the “Starters Election”, all three players were voted in as finalists during the “Primary Round” of All-Star voting. The Astros had an American League-best seven players advance to the Starters Election as finalists. Second baseman Jose Altuve and shortstop Carlos Correa were both finalists, but finished in second place at their respective positions in the Starters Election. Robinson Chirinos finished in third place among AL catchers, while Josh Reddick placed ninth among AL outfielders in the Starters Election.

Last season, the Astros had a club-record tying six players make the All-Star Team, while the entire Astros coaching staff represented the club at the All-Star Game, led by Astros manager AJ Hinch.

The 90th MLB All-Star Game will be played on Tuesday, July 9 at 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised live on FOX.