Jose Altuve the leading vote-getter on American League All-Star roster

Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, the reigning American League MVP, received the most votes from fans and will start at second base for the American League in the 2018 MLB All-Star Game, set for July 17 at Nationals Park in Washington D.C.

The rosters were announced on Sunday, including nine AL starters elected by the fans. Altuve received 4,849,630 votes to pace both rosters and will start at second base for the fourth consecutive season. It’s the sixth overall All-Star appearance for Altuve, who has won three of the last four AL batting titles and ranks second in the American League in batting average this year (.338).

Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout is an All-Star for the seventh time in his seven full seasons, hitting .312/.455/.630 with 25 home runs in 2018. He’ll be joined in the outfield by Boston Red Sox star Mookie Betts, making his third All-Star Game, and last year’s AL MVP runner-up Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees.

Free agent to be Baltimore Orioles infielder Manny Machado is an All-Star for the fourth time in his career, but for the first time as a shortstop. His previous three appearances came as a third baseman.

J.D. Martinez, who leads the majors in home runs (27), RBI (74) and total bases in his first season with the Boston Red Sox, will start at designated hitter for his first All-Star selection since 2015.

The nine American League starters are spread across eight different teams, with Chicago White Sox first baseman Jose Abreu, Cleveland Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez and Tampa Bay Rays catcher Wilson Ramos each making their second All-Star roster in 2018.

Fans don’t vote for pitchers, but fellow players do, selecting five starters and three relievers. The AL All-Star starting pitchers selected by their peers are Justin Verlander of the Astros, Corey Kluber of the Indians, Chris Sale of the Red Sox, Gerrit Cole of the Astros and Luis Severino of the Yankees.

Verlander, a seven-time All-Star, won’t pitch in the All-Star Game this year as he will start for Houston next Sunday, the final game before the break. Trevor Bauer of the Indians will take his place on the roster.

Reliever All-Stars selected by the players are Craig Kimbrel of Boston, Edwin Diaz of the Seattle Mariners and Aroldis Chapman of the Yankees.

Players select nine position players, with the remaining players selected by the commissioner’s office.