Justin Turner received an all-time record of 20.8 million votes to win the Final Vote to earn a spot on the National League roster for the 2017 MLB All-Star Game. He joins Nomar Garciaparra (2006) as the only Los Angeles Dodgers players to reach the Midsummer Classic via Final Vote.
In order, Turner finished ahead of Chicago Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, Washington Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon, Colorado Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds and Miami Marlins first baseman Justin Bour.
Turner is the Dodgers’ first All-Star third baseman since Mike Sharperson in 1992. He enters play Thursday batting a blistering .384/.473/.571, with 17 doubles, eight home runs and 33 RBI.
Turner has not yet logged enough plate appearances but would otherwise lead the Majors in batting average and on-base percentage by a comfortable margin.
Per FanGraphs, Turner leads all third basemen (minimum 200 plate appearances) and is tied for fourth overall with a 3.9 WAR. The All-Star selection is the first of his career.
The Dodgers at present time now have players bound for Miami, though Clayton Kershaw is slated to start Sunday and therefore won’t pitch in the All-Star Game. His absence could pave the way to Alex Wood making his first All-Star Game.
The Dodgers last had five All-Stars in 2015 (Yasmani Grandal, Zack Greinke, Adrian Gonzalez, Kershaw, Joc Pederson), and last put six players in the All-Star Game in 1991 (Brett Butler, Ramon Martinez, Mike Morgan, Eddie Murray, Juan Samuel, Darryl Strawberry).
