Latest All-Star Game balloting results hand KC Royals more disappointment

Less than two hours after the Tampa Bay Rays capped their three-game sweep of the offensively inept Kansas City Royals by shutting them out 4-0 at Kauffman Stadium, Major League Baseball delivered the Royals another blow. This one came off the field, and although it wasn't unexpected considering Monday's vote count update, it still stung.

Per voting results revealed late Thursday afternoon, only one Royal, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., remains in the running for a starting spot in this season's All-Star Game. Witt, and no other Kansas City candidate whose name appeared on the Phase 1 ballot, is advancing to Phase 2, the key stage of fan balloting that will determine who besides New York's Aaron Judge, and the starting-pitcher-to-be-named-later will open July 15's contest at Atlanta's Truist Park for the American League. (Pitchers and reserves are selected by subsequent processes not involving fans).

Judge earned a starting spot in manager Aaron Boone's outfield by collecting more votes than any other AL player (he also outpaced top National League vote-getter Shohei Ohtani of the Dodgers). Phase 2 of fan balloting, which begins June 30 at Noon ET and ends July 2 at the same time, will determine the rest of Boone's non-pitcher starters — per this season's voting process, fans will pick a catcher, designated hitter, shortstop, and first, second, and third basemen from two finalists at each of those positions, and two more outfielders from a slightly bigger field.

And that's where Witt and more disappointment for the Royals and their fans come in.

Bobby Witt Jr. is the only KC Royals All-Star Game voting finalist

And therein lies the disappointment. After their remarkable turnaround of last season, when the Royals made it to postseason play for the first time since 2015, they have only one chance to land a starter in this year's All-Star Game. Witt was the only Kansas City candidate to finish second or better at his position in Phase 1 — he ended up in second behind Athletics' rookie Jacob Wilson.

But don't presume Witt's name and superstar status will be enough to push Wilson aside in Phase 2. Wilson beat Witt in the first round by what MLB.com's Brian Murphy described as "about 500,000 votes"; although all vote totals reset to zero for Phase 2, Wilson's significant Phase 1 margin suggests it might be insurmountable.

And Wilson's current numbers may give him the edge over even a star like Witt. Through Thursday, Wilson was slashing .345/.387/.484 while Witt, who's seeking his second All-Star berth after earning his first last season, had a good, but less impressive, .278/.334/.478 line. Wilson's .871 OPS is almost 60 points higher than Witt's .812, and his 149 wRC+ through Wednesday was better than Witt's 121. The two shortstops have both driven in 40 runs, and Witt's 10 homers barely top Wilson's nine.

Witt, then, has a tough road to pave if he's going win that second straight starting nod.

The All-Star Game voting compounds the KC Royals' disappointments

Kansas City's lackluster All-Star Game voting results only compound the disappointments surrounding the club. Thursday's loss to the Rays left the Royals 0-for-10 in June at home — they haven't won a game at Kauffman Stadium since May 31, when they slipped past Detroit 1-0. The defeat was also their fifth in a row and dropped them 12.5 games behind the AL Central-leading Tigers and 3.5 games out of the chase for the AL's third Wild Card spot.

And they seem incapable of shaking their maddening offensive woes. Thursday's second straight shutout loss means they're scoring barely over three runs per game, a clip having a lot to do with their disappointing 38-43 record. Floundering with the always-dangerous Dodgers hitting town for a three-game series that begins Friday night, Kansas City seems like a team that may be headed for watching the playoffs from home.

And even Witt winning a starting job in the All-Star Game won't be enough to soothe the pain that will cause.