One Rangers’ Great Season Unexpectedly Rewarded in All-Star Game Voting

The Texas Rangers have one player among the top two at his position and it’s not the player most would have guessed.

A hat and glove of a Texas Rangers player. | John E. Sokolowski-Imagn Images

The Texas Rangers had at least one player deserving of being among the top two vote-getters at their position for next month’s All-Star Game.

It just wasn’t Josh Jung.

The initial results of the first stage of voting for the American League and National League starting lineups were released on Monday and the only Rangers player among the Top 2 at his position was Ezequiel Duran, who was in second place at second base behind Toronto’s Ernie Clement.

It’s notable because Duran wasn’t the opening-day starter at second base. Josh Smith was. But Smith has been out for more than a month, and Duran has played his position, along with a host of others, in a campaign that has seen him play the best baseball of his career. The same goes for Jung, but he’s in fourth place at third base.

Rangers in All-Star Game Voting

Texas Rangers first baseman Ezequiel Duran. | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

Duran received 287,996 votes at second base and is narrowly ahead of Cleveland’s Travis Bazzana, who had 279,996 votes. Clement is way ahead of both with 904,702 and likely benefiting from the Blue Jays being the only MLB team in Canada. Toronto has players in the Top 2 at all the infield positions, along with designated hitter.

Duran was slashing .281/.332/.429 with four home runs and 35 RBI going into Monday’s game with Minnesota. He’s on pace for the best numbers of his career.

Jung is one of four qualified hitters in the AL that is batting .300 or better, with a slash of .307/.367/.465 with eight home runs and 35 RBI. He had 285,827 votes. Tampa Bay’s Junior Caminero (625,520) and Toronto’s Kazuma Okamoto (556,172) are in the Top 2.

That standing is important. The first phase of voting ends on June 25. After that, the top two vote getters at each position advance to the second phase, where they face each other in voting for the right to start. The top vote-getter in each league gets an automatic starting spot.

Duran is in line to advance to phase two. Jung needs some help.

Joc Pederson is fifth in designated hitter voting, but is well behind Houston’s Yordan Alvarez, who is the AL’s leading vote-getter with 1.015 million votes. Shortstop Corey Seager is seventh at his position. The Rangers don’t have a Top 10 catcher or Top 20 outfielder in voting.

Texas will have at least one player in the All-Star Game, which is set for July 14 in Philadelphia. Each team is required to have one. Pitchers and reserves are selected by player and MLB vote after the starting lineup is selected.