Royals put 4 on AL starting roster; Josh Donaldson sets voting record

ByABC News
July 5, 2015, 8:11 PM

— -- There will be a Royal influence in the Queen City as four Kansas City Royals players were named American League starters for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game being hosted by the Cincinnati Reds.

Outfielders Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain join Alcides Escobar (shortstop) and Salvador Perez (catcher) as Royals reps for this year's All-Star Game. Much was said of the potential ballot-stuffing being done by Kansas City fans, but ultimately only four players from the AL Central leaders made it to the starting lineup. Long a doormat in the AL, the Royals have more starters this season than in the previous 25 years combined.

While the Royals may have led the way with the most players per team, the leading vote-getter came from north of the border.

Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson set a new record for all-time single-season voting with over 14 million total votes cast. Washington Nationals star Bryce Harper led all National League selections by garnering 13.9 million votes.

Donaldson is third in RBIs (56) and fourth in WAR (4.3) among all AL players while playing for a Blue Jays team that is first in runs scored, doubles, total bases, RBIs, slugging and OPS.

Already a star, Harper's first-half has put him in the top tier of players in all of baseball. The Nats outfielder leads the majors in WAR (5.9) and is among the NL leaders in home runs, RBIs and batting average.

Only two teams placed multiple players on the All-Star rosters, the Royals, who won the AL pennant last season, and the Miami Marlins, who entered Sunday eight games under .500 and 11 games back in the NL East.

Marlins second baseman  Dee Gordon and outfielder  Giancarlo Stanton were both voted to the NL squad, though Stanton won't play in the Midsummer Classic.

Stanton, who signed a $325 million contract this offseason to stay in Miami, is on the disabled list with a broken bone in his hand. He will join Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera (calf) and St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Matt Holliday (quad) as All-Star starters who are on the DL.

The Reds will host the All-Star Game for the first time since 1988 and will be represented by Todd Frazier, who was voted the NL team's starting third baseman.

All-Star pitchers, reserves and the finalists for the Final Vote will be announced Monday. The 2015 All-Star Game will be played Tuesday, July 14.