MLB All-Star Game 2015 Voting: 3rd Update for AL Roster Released

The closer we get to the July 14's MLB All-Star Game at Cincinnati's Great American Ball Park, the more likely it appears the American League roster will be awfully Royal. For the third straight release, the Kansas City Royals dwarf all teams in total votes and representatives:

Kansas City would have seven offensive starters if voting ended today, led by top overall AL vote-getter Salvador Perez. Four of the top five vote-getters are Royals, with only fifth-place Mike Trout breaking up the blue-and-white party.

Perez, outfielder Lorenzo Cain and third baseman Mike Moustakas are the only three players with more than four million votes.

Orlin Wagner/Associated Press

“I’d be happy to be there,” shortstop Alcides Escobar, who leads the Detroit Tigers' Jose Iglesias by more than two million votes, told Jeff Deters of the Topeka Capital-Journal. “I see the votes, and we’re leading, and my teammates are doing well. That’s really good. I’m so happy for them."

While the initial voting seemed to be the result of early ballot-stuffing in the Kansas City area, that's no longer the case. Royals players who were lagging behind are quickly catching up. Second baseman Omar Infante is only about 150,000 votes behind the Houston Astros' Jose Altuve, and designated hitter Kendrys Morales has overtaken the Seattle Mariners' Nelson Cruz.

Broadcaster Nate Bukaty shared his thoughts on the voting:

Fourth-place outfielder Alex Rios has played just 13 games all season and is well ahead of Adam Jones, Michael Brantley and a number of other high-profile talents. Infante's fast closing on Altuve despite hitting .221/.230/.308 without a home run or stolen base. 

If voting continues trending in this direction, the Royals are on pace for an All-Star rate we haven't seen since the great ballot-stuffing controversy of 1957. While no one would dare accuse Kansas City of anything untoward, it'll be interesting to see the reaction of other fans if the AL suits up seven or eight Royals next month.

Follow Tyler Conway (@tylerconway22) on Twitter