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Cleveland Indians 1B Carlos Santana elected to start in 2019 MLB All-Star Game; full starting lineups revealed

Indians first baseman Carlos Santana will start for the American League in the 2019 MLB All-Star Game in Cleveland on July 9.
Credit: AP
Cleveland Indians' Carlos Santana runs the bases after hitting a two-run double in the seventh inning of a baseball game, Thursday, May 16, 2019, in Cleveland. Jason Kipnis and Francisco Lindor scored on the play. (AP Photo/Tony Dejak)

CLEVELAND – When the American League All-Stars take the diamond at Progressive Field for the first pitch of the 2019 MLB All-Star Game on July 9, Carlos Santana will occupy his familiar place at first base.

On Thursday, MLB announced the final results of its first ever ‘Election Day’ All-Star vote, which was used to determine the starting lineups for the All-Star Game in Cleveland. In doing so, the league revealed that Santana had been selected as the American League’s starting first baseman, beating out fellow finalists Luke Volt of the New York Yankees and C.J. Cron of the Minnesota Twins.

The entire starting lineups for the ‘Midsummer Classic’ are as follows:

American League

  • Catcher: Gary Sanchez (Yankees)
  • First base: Carlos Santana (Indians)
  • Second base: DJ LeMahieu (Yankees)
  • Shortstop: Jorge Polanco (Twins)
  • Third base: Alex Bregman (Astros)
  • Outfield: Mike Trout (Angels), Michael Brantley (Astros), George Springer (Astros)
  • Designated hitter: Hunter Pence (Rangers)

National League

  • Catcher: Wilson Contreras (Cubs)
  • First base: Freddie Freeman (Braves)
  • Second base: Ketel Marte (D-Backs)
  • Shortstop: Javier Baez (Cubs)
  • Third base: Nolan Arenado (Rockies)
  • Outfield: Cody Bellinger (Dodgers), Christian Yelich (Brewers), Ronald Acuna Jr. (Braves)

In what will be his fourth All-Star appearance, Brantley will be playing in his first game in Cleveland since leaving the Indians in free agency last offseason. In 77 games in Houston, the left fielder has amassed an impressive .317 batting average, 11 home runs and 43 RBIs.

Santana’s All-Star selection, meanwhile, marks the first of his career and comes on the heels of a multiday social media push by his teammates to get the 33-year-old elected. Prior to the Indians’ 5-3 win over the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday, Cleveland catcher Kevin Plawecki and infielder Mike Freeman took to the stands to encourage fans to vote for Santana, who was the Indians’ lone representative on the ‘Election Day’ ballot.

After spending the first nine seasons of his career with the Indians, Santana signed as a free agent with the Philadelphia Phillies prior the 2018 season. After just one season in the ‘City of Brotherly Love,’ he was initially traded to the Seattle Mariners, before being reacquired in Cleveland in a three-team trade that also involved the Tampa Bay Rays.

In his first season back with the Indians, the switch-hitting Santana has turned in a career year. Through Cleveland’s first 80 games, he leads the team in home runs (18), RBIs (48), doubles (15), hits (82), walks (57), on-base percentage (.411), slugging (.541) and total bases (153), while also ranking second in batting average (.290).

Santana’s All-Star selection marks the third straight season the Indians have had a representative in the American League starting lineup after third baseman Jose Ramirez was elected as a starter in each of the past two years. Santana will be the first Cleveland first baseman to start in the All-Star Game since Jim Thome did so in 1999.

In addition to the All-Star Game, Santana has accepted a bid to participate in the Home Run Derby at Progressive on Monday, July 8.

WATCH | Jim Donovan and Dave "Dino" DeNatale react to the news of Carlos Santana starting in the All-Star Game on the Donovan Live Postgame Show:

Reserves and pitchers for both the American League and National League All-Star teams, which are selected via a collaborative effort between the player ballot and the Commissioner's Office, will be revealed on Sunday at 5:30 p.m.

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