The latest update for the 2016 American League All-Star team voting looks identical to the one released last week, with the only close race being for the final starting spot in the outfield.
MLB Communications tweeted out the updated standings that will determine the starters for the July 12 event in San Diego:
Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez is the leading vote-getter among AL players, which is surprising considering the level of talent in the league but appropriate based on the dearth of quality options at the position and the passion Royals fans have for the team.
For evidence of Kansas City fans' passion, Mike Moustakas has the second-most votes among third basemen. He hasn't played in a game since May 22, when his season ended in a collision with Alex Gordon that left him with a torn ACL.
Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz is the only other AL player with more than 2 million votes. The 40-year-old is having one of his best seasons, leading the league in on-base percentage (.423) and slugging percentage (.708).
Ortiz's teammate Jackie Bradley Jr. is riding his breakout season to a potential starting spot in the outfield. He is a distant second to the Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout among outfielders, but he does hold a lead of nearly 200,000 votes over Royals star Lorenzo Cain for the No. 2 spot.
The Royals and Red Sox are currently tied for the most starters in the All-Star Game with three each. Xander Bogaerts is Boston's third representative at shortstop, and Eric Hosmer is holding down first base for Kansas City.
Trout, the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve and the Baltimore Orioles' Manny Machado are the only players not from the Red Sox or Royals currently in position to be starting the Midsummer Classic.
The field of candidates to choose from is deep, but it's hard to topple the passion fans in Boston and Kansas City have for their teams. It's also hard to argue with the voting results, though, based on how the position leaders have performed in 2016.
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