Sale, Rizzo get final All-Star Game spots
Chicago, a city with a reputation for voting early and often, helped White Sox ace Chris Sale and Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo earn spots for the 13th annual All-Star Game through the MLB.com Final Vote contest.
Sale received 6.7 million votes to beat out Garrett Richards of the Angels, Rick Porcello of the Tigers, Corey Kluber of the Indians and Dallas Keuchel of the Astros.
Rizzo received 8.8 million votes to top Rockies first baseman Justin Morneau, Braves outfielder Justin Upton, Nationals infielder Anthony Rendon and Marlins third baseman Casey McGehee.
Both players have been added to the final roster spots for the 85th All-Star Game on Tuesday at Target Field in Minneapolis.
Rizzo joined Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro on the NL roster.
"It's good for the kids in the minor leagues to see kids in the big leagues make it," Rizzo said. "The more All-Stars you can have in your organization, the better."
Los Angeles Angels shortstop Erick Aybar will replace Kansas City outfielder Alex Gordon. Aybar joins fellow shortstops Derek Jeter and Alexei Ramirez on the AL roster. Gordon has been bothered by a sprained right wrist and received an injection Thursday.
There was no immediate announcement on a replacement for St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina, who is to have surgery Friday to repair a torn ligament in his right thumb and is likely to be sidelined for at least eight weeks.
MLB said Colorado first baseman Justin Morneau and Oakland All-Star third baseman Josh Donaldson have been picked to complete the participants for Monday's Home Run Derby at Target Field in Minneapolis. Morneau spent 11 seasons with the Twins and won the 2008 derby at old Yankee Stadium.
The AL derby lineup includes Toronto's Jose Bautista, Oakland's Yoenis Cespedes, Baltimore's Adam Jones and Minnesota's Brian Dozier. Cespedes won last year's event at New York's Citi Field.
The NL lineup includes Colorado's Troy Tulowitzki, Miami's Giancarlo Stanton, the Los Angeles Dodgers' Yasiel Puig and Cincinnati's Todd Frazier.
As captains, Bautista and Tulowitzki, chose the other players for their league.