MLB All-Star Game starting lineups announced

The starters for this year’s All-Star Game have been officially selected, as announced today by Major League Baseball. The Midsummer Classic will take place on July 9 in Cleveland. As per the new rules of this year’s selection process, fan votes determined a field of three finalists for every position around the diamond, before the final choice was made from those three players during another fan ballot over a 28-hour voting period.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

• First Base: Carlos Santana, Indians (over Luke Voit/Yankees, C.J. Cron/Twins)
• Second Base: DJ LeMahieu, Yankees (over Jose Altuve/Astros, Tommy La Stella/Angels)
• Third Base: Alex Bregman, Astros (over Hunter Dozier/Royals, Gio Urshela/Yankees)
• Shortstop: Jorge Polanco, Twins (over Gleyber Torres/Yankees, Carlos Correa/Astros)
• Catcher: Gary Sanchez, Yankees (over James McCann/White Sox, Robinson Chirinos/Astros)
• Outfielders: Mike Trout, Angels…George Springer, Astros…Michael Brantley…Astros (over Aaron Judge/Yankees, Mookie Betts/Red Sox, Eddie Rosario/Twins, Joey Gallo/Rangers, Austin Meadows/Rays, Josh Reddick/Astros)
• Designated Hitter: Hunter Pence/Rangers (over J.D. Martinez/Red Sox, Nelson Cruz/Twins)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

• First Base: Freddie Freeman, Braves (over Josh Bell/Pirates, Anthony Rizzo/Cubs)
• Second Base: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks (over Ozzie Albies/Braves, Mike Moustakas/Brewers)
• Third Base: Nolan Arenado/Rockies (over Josh Donaldson/Braves, Kris Bryant/Cubs)
• Shortstop: Javier Baez/Cubs (over Trevor Story/Rockies, Dansby Swanson/Braves)
• Catcher: Willson Contreras, Cubs (over Brian McCann/Braves, Yasmani Grandal/Brewers)
• Outfielders: Christian Yelich, Brewers…Cody Bellinger, Dodgers…Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves (over Charlie Blackmon/Rockies, Nick Markakis/Braves, Jason Heyward/Cubs, Kyle Schwarber/Cubs, Albert Almora Jr./Cubs, Joc Pederson/Dodgers)

The full rosters, including reserves and pitching staffs, will be announced on Sunday. The losing finalists aren’t automatically assured spots on the actual All-Star teams, as the reserve spots will be determined via the Commissioner’s Office and a ballot of Major League players.

As noted by Baseball America’s Matt Eddy, there are a lot of fresh faces in this year’s group, as 11 of the 17 starters will be starting an All-Star Game for the first time, while Baez, Freeman, Contreras, and Springer are starting for only the second time. Arenado is starting his third All-Star Game, while the incomparable Trout (who received more votes than any other player) is receiving his seventh ASG start and eighth All-Star selection overall.

Four members of the AL starting lineup joined their current teams during the offseason, though in Santana’s case, he was back in his familiar stomping grounds in Cleveland after spending just one season with the Phillies. The most surprising inclusion is Pence, signed a minor league deal with Texas last winter and then embarked on a comeback season for the ages to earn his fourth All-Star selection.