For the most part, MLB fans are voting deserving starters into the 2016 All-Star Game.
Per MLB.com’s Mark Newman, the league released updated American League and National League results earlier in the week. Every current AL starter deserves an All-Star bid, and a couple of NL gaffes are close enough to fix before voting ends Thursday at 11:59 p.m. ET.
It’s a good thing fans only decide the starters. Otherwise, the rosters would be a mess in a game that actually still matters for some stupid reason. Kansas City Royals fans are succeeding in sending Salvador Perez and Eric Hosmer to San Diego, but they have also stuffed the ballots for the rest of their injured and mediocre position players.
In the NL, Chicago Cubs fans have flooded the ballots. Fortunately, Anthony Rizzo, Ben Zobrist, Kris Bryant and Dexter Fowler have all earned their starting designations on more than fan loyalty. Their allegiance, however, also has Addison Russell in the lineup and Jason Heyward as the runner-up outfielder.
Voters have recognized most of the true superstars, but several studs are either buried at the bottom of the latest update or absent altogether. Some skills receive less national attention, and others have recently staked their claims after early-rising fans already submitted their ballots.
Note that this isn’t a list of the best players without a starting spot. Daniel Murphy, Nolan Arenado, Josh Donaldson and Mark Trumbo currently must settle for a bench slot, but they’re not getting ignored as runners-up with over a million votes each.
Despite stellar starts, these guys will all need the managers and players to elect them into this year’s Midsummer Classic.