Fans have voted Cleveland Indians 1B CARLOS SANTANA the American League starter at first base for the 2019 All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Progressive Field.
“I’m excited to represent Cleveland alongside the best in Major League Baseball,” said Santana. “To be able to start in my first career All-Star Game, and to do it at home in front of our fans, means everything to me.”
Santana ran away with the AL first base vote, claiming 49.2 percent of the vote ahead of Voit (25.8 percent) and Cron (25.0 percent). Entering the day, he had the best 2019 numbers among AL first baseman finalists leading in average (.290) home runs (18), on-base pct. (.411), slugging pct. (.541) and OPS (.951).
The native of the Dominican Republic finished second in the Primary Election process, receiving 1,180,719 votes. He finished behind New York-AL’s Luke Voit (1,205,706 votes) and ahead of Minnesota’s C.J. Cron (1,045,120 votes).
Santana will be appearing on his first All-Star Game roster over his 10-year Major League career. He will be the first Cleveland Indians first baseman to start an All-Star Game since JIM THOME in 1999.
The Tribe has now boasted an American League starter in three straight All-Star Games as JOSÉ RAMÍREZ got the nod at third base in 2017 and 2018.
Santana joins OFDAVID JUSTICE in 1997, 1B AL ROSEN and 2B BOBBY AVILA in 1954, and OF JOE VOSMIK in 1935 as members of the Tribe elected to start All-Star Games in Cleveland.