MLB All-Star Game 2015 Voting: 5th Update for AL Roster Released

The Kansas City Royals continued to dominate the American League All-Star Game voting when the latest update was announced Monday, though Miguel Cabrera and Mike Trout ascended to the top of the list at first base and in the outfield, respectively.

MLB Communications posted the update on Twitter:

Catcher Salvador Perez continues to lead all American League players in votes.

A week ago, Royals players held eight of the nine starting positions, and a Kansas City player led the voting at all seven positions to be filled. It has taken the winners of the past three AL MVP awards in Cabrera (2013-14) and Trout (2014) to break up the Royals' dominance.

These are the initial results after the league purged millions of votes over concerns of fraudulent or improper voting, according to CEO of MLB Advanced Media Bob Bowman, via Jeff Passan of Yahoo Sports:

"

I'm not saying we bat 1.000. But it's between 60 and 65 million votes that have been canceled. We don't really trumpet it because if someone thinks they're getting away with it, they'll try to again.

We scrubbed these first set of numbers incredibly thoroughly. We said, 'Can this possibly be right? Look at all these votes for Kansas City.' It just didn't turn out that way.

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Several positions have become tight races, however. Josh Donaldson is closing in on Mike Moustakas at third base, while Nelson Cruz looks as though he'll give Kendrys Morales a run for his money at designated hitter. Jose Iglesias at shortstop and Jose Altuve at second base are also within striking distance of Alcides Escobar and Omar Infante, respectively. 

Infante, in particular, is a controversial pick, and Mike DiGiovanna of the Los Angeles Times doesn't feel he should see the field even if he makes the team:

Infante is hitting .229 with 18 RBI this year, so his inclusion in the Midsummer Classic would certainly raise some eyebrows to say the least.

But it appears as though baseball fans in other cities are starting to respond to the Royals' monopoly on the voting thus far. The Royals still seem likely to be well-represented, but if the recent tally is any indication, don't expect a clean sweep for Kansas City in the starting lineup.