4 Royals to start All-Star Game; 2 Cardinals picked
NEW YORK — Houston second baseman Jose Altuve passed Kansas City’s Omar Infante in the final days of voting, leaving four Royals as starters for the All-Star Game.
Todd Fra zier of the host Ci nci n nat i Reds leapfrogged St. Louis’ Matt Carpenter at third base and will be in the NL starting lineup for the July 14 game at Great American Ball Park.
The voting results were announced Sunday.
Other NL players include first-time starters St. Louis shortstop Jhonny Peralta and Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday, who has been sidelined since stra ining a quadriceps June 8 and is uncertain to return for the All-Star Game.
“I’m getting there,” Holliday said Sunday. “I’ve got a few more hurdles to clear with my running, but I feel like I’m getting pretty close.”
For Holliday, it will be his seventh All-Star Game; for Peralta, his third.
AL champion Kansas City will be represented in the starting lineup by outfielders Lorenzo Cain and Alex Gordon, catcher Salvador Perez and shortstop Alcides Escobar. Four players ties the AL record for fanelected starters, achieved nine times previously.
Eight Royals were on track to start in vote totals announced June 15, but first baseman Eric Hosmer, third baseman Mike Moustakas and designated hitter Kendrys Morales also were overtaken.
“We’re going to have a blast,” said Royals manager Ned Yost, manager of the AL team. “The All-Star Game is an experience you never forget, and to do it with so many of our teammates there is really special.”
Seattle’s Nelson Cruz, suspended for the final 50 games of the 2013 season for violating baseball’s drug agreement, was chosen to start for the second straight year. In the closest vote at any position, Cruz’s 10.6 million votes edged Morales’ 10. 32 million.
Toronto’s Josh Donaldson will start at third for the second straight year after receiving a record vote total of 14.09 million, topping Josh Hamilton’s 11.07 million in 2012.
Washington outfielder Bryce Harper set a record for NL players at 13.86 million, topping the previous record of 7.62 million set three years ago by San Francisco catcher Buster Posey, who was elected to start again this year.
MLB said 620 million votes were cast, breaking the mark of 391 million in 2012.
At least two elected starters will miss the game because of injuries: Miami outfielder Giancarlo Stanton broke a hand June 26 and Detroit first baseman Miguel Cabrera hurt his left calf Friday.
Each fan could cast up to 35 ballots in online voting. Pitchers and reserves will be announced today.
Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout will make his fourth straight All-Star appearance after earning 14 million votes, the second-highest total.
Other NL starters include Arizona first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Miami second baseman Dee Gordon.
DEVELOPMENTS
St ra sburg out: The Washing ton Nation a ls have put pitcher Stephen Strasburg back on the 15-day disabled list, this time with a strained left oblique.
Strasburg left Saturday’s game against the Giants after 3 ⅔ scoreless innings because of tightness in his left side. He had an MRI exam Sunday.
Manager Matt Williams said he didn’t have a sense of how long Strasburg will be out.
Strasburg missed nearly four weeks earlier this season with neck tightness.
Briefly: The Atla nta Braves have ca lled up right-hander Arodys Vizcaino and promoted righthander David Carpenter from Triple-A Gwinnett. Right-hander Nick Masset and left-hander Dana Eveland were designated for assignment. ... The Pittsburgh Pirates claimed f i rst ba sema n Trav i s Ishikawa off waivers from the San Francisco Giants. Ishikawa, 31, was 0 for 5 in six games for the Giants this season. ... Los Angeles Dodgers starter Carlos Frias has been placed on the 1 5 -day disabled list with lower back tightness, although the right-hander isn’t expected to be there too long. Manager Don Mattingly said an MRI test showed no structural damage.