MLB All-Star Game vote comes down to wire for some positions
Just 71,655 votes are currently separating a first baseman with a .231 career batting average from becoming an All Star starter.
That man is Justin Smoak of the Toronto Blue Jays, who trails only Kansas City Royals first baseman Eric Hosmer in the latest American League All-Star balloting.
And frankly, this is a year in which Smoak deserves it. The seven-year veteran is defying his career numbers with a .304 batting average and 48 RBI this season, and his 20 home runs are good for fourth in the AL.
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Hosmer, meanwhile, is trailing Smoak in every batting category except hits. If the Blue Jays first baseman manages to claim the top spot before the voting period ends June 29, it would mark the first All-Star selection of his career.
Smoak isn’t the only one battling for the first All-Star selection of his career, either. Zack Cozart of the Cincinnati Reds is caught in another tight battle for the starting spot at shortstop in the NL, as Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager trails him by less than 300,000 votes.
Even tighter than that, Kris Bryant of the Chicago Cubs leads Nolan Arenado of the Colorado Rockies by less than 60,000 votes as the two vie for the starting assignment at third base for the National League.
Outside of those position battles, it appears the majority of the NL squad is set, and the Washington Nationals have plenty of representation. Bryce Harper has received the most votes of any player in the majors, and Ryan Zimmerman and Daniel Murphy appear set to start at first base and second base, respectively. And Buster Posey of the San Francisco Giants continues to run away with the voting at catcher.
In addition to Smoak’s tightly-contested voting battle, the third base and designated hitter selections are coming down to the wire on the AL side as well.
Miguel Sanó of the Minnesota Twins is pursuing his first All-Star selection, but Cleveland Indians third baseman José Ramírez is trailing him by roughly 200,000 votes.
The contest for the starting nod at designated hitter is even tighter. Nelson Cruz of the Seattle Mariners is leading the voting, but just 259,115 votes separate him from Matt Holliday of the New York Yankees, who is sitting in fourth place.
Meanwhile, Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa of the Houston Astros have all but locked up the AL starting middle infield selections, as has Royals catcher Salvador Perez.
In addition to that, Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees, Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels and George Springer of the Astros have a firm grip on the three starting spots in the outfield.