Why KC Royals fans have 1 more MLB All-Star Game vote

They tried, but KC Royals fans just couldn't muster enough votes to get a Royal into the American League's starting lineup for tonight's MLB All-Star Game. Kansas City fans pushed two of the nine Royals on the original Phase 1 ballot into the Finals, but Bobby Witt Jr. lost out to Baltimore's Gunnar Henderson at shortstop and Oriole catcher Adley Rutschman got past Salvador Perez.

Fortunately, Witt and Perez made it onto AL manager Bruce Bochy's AL roster as reserves, where they'll be joined this evening by Kansas City starting pitchers Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans.

But don't think all voting for this year's All-Star Game is over.

It's not.

Fans still have a vote to cast at the MLB All-Star Game ballot box

Still to be determined, but obviously not until the 2024 edition of baseball's Midsummer Classic concludes late this evening, is who will win the coveted Ted Williams All-Star Game Most Valuable Player award. And just because none of the Royal All-Stars are starting (Bochy recently chose Baltimore's Corbin Burnes as his club's starting hurler) doesn't mean they won't get a shot at being MVP.

Witt and Perez have the best shots at a MVP-caliber performances — All-Star Game pitchers typically don't stick around long or make singularly significant contributions warranting MVP status, making it more likely that the Royals' chances for the award rest primarily with their star shortstop and catcher. Both have the ability to turn the game around with one swing of the bat.

They'll need to get in the game, though, and most assuredly will. Witt's excellent performance this season — he leads the majors in hits with with 125, his .323 average ranks third, he leads the Royals in RBI with 63, and he's slugged 16 home runs — and the facts he's from the Dallas area and thrilled fans with his dramatic runner-up showing effort in last night's Home Run Derby, render him an ideal candidate to be one of Bochy's earliest substitutions.

Expect Perez, who's slashing .282/.343/.477 and has more homers (17) than any other Royal, to appear earlier than later, either spelling Rutschman behind the plate or as a pinch hitter.

Whether any of the Royals do big things tonight remains to be seen. But if they do, KC fans can cast MVP ballots for them here starting in the sixth inning or at the same time at the Royals' official website. (Fans can, of course, vote for someone else if none of their KC favorites turn in MVP-worthy performances).

Fan voting constitutes 20% of the ultimate MVP determination.

Have any other Royals won the MLB All-Star Game MVP?

Yes. Bo Jackson was the first Royal to receive the award when he won it in 1989, and Eric Hosmer won it in 2016.

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