KC Royals News: Grim MLB All-Star Game news, awards, and more

Don't expect good news for two KC Royals when final fan voting results for this year's MLB All-Star Game are announced tonight.

According to the latest Finals voting update released Tuesday, catcher Salvador Perez and shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. trail their rivals by what appear to be insurmountable deficits.

Perez, who'll make his ninth All-Star appearance if elected via fan voting or chosen in the mixed process that determines each league's reserves and pitchers, had garnered only 30% of the vote while Baltimore's Adley Rutschman had 70%. Gunnar Henderson, another Oriole, was beating Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. by a smaller, but still wide, 65%-35% margin.

Perez and Witt are the only Royals who advanced to the Finals.

Final results, which determine who'll start alongside Aaron Judge on the American League team and Bryce Harper on the NL squad — they secured their positions by virtue of getting the most fan votes in Phase 1 voting — will be announced on ESPN beginning at 7 p.m. ET tonight.

Royals announced their awards for June

Kansas City revealed Tuesday its selections for the club's June Pitcher and Player of the Month awards.

There were no surprises. Starting pitcher Seth Lugo was named Pitcher of the Month and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino grabbed Player of the Month.

Lugo, who's established himself as the Royals' ace, was 2-1 with a 3.11 ERA and four quality starts in June. He's 11-2, 2.17 so far this season, and leads the majors in wins, ERA, and innings pitched (116). He's also tied with eight others, including teammate Cole Ragans, for the lead in starts with 18.

Pasquantino began the month hitting .233 with six homers and 36 RBIs but, after batting .276, homering four times, and driving in 19 runs in June, is slashing .244/.318/.431 with 10 home runs and 55 RBI; that last mark ties him with Witt for the team lead.

Rookie gets his first major league hit

Kansas City lost a rainy game to Tampa Bay Tuesday night, but one Royal reached a major personal milestone. Third baseman CJ Alexander, called up from Triple-A Omaha June 24, entered the series opener at Kauffman Stadium hitless in three games and six at-bats, but stroked a two-out single off Tampa starter Zack Littell in the fifth inning.

It was his first big league hit. Alexander finished the evening 1-for-2.

Former Kansas City pitcher is looking for a new job

Johnny Cueto, for whom the Royals traded for stretch run pitching help in 2015, has opted out of the minor league contract he signed with Texas in April. He was a combined 2-1 with a 5.71 ERA over eight starts at Triple-A Round Rock and one in the Arizona Complex League.

Cueto hits the open market with a 144-111, 3.50 16-season major league record. He went 4-7 with a 4.76 ERA in 13 2015 starts for the Royals and was a huge reason why they beat Houston in the deciding game of that season's AL Division Series. He also pitched a complete game to beat the Mets in Game 2 of that campaign's World Series.

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