Yelich, Moustakas, Grandal named finalists after primary round of All-Star voting

After three weeks of the primary phase of All-Star voting, three Milwaukee Brewers players have advanced to the starters election: outfielder Christian Yelich, second baseman Mike Moustakas and catcher Yasmani Grandal.

Debuting this season, the starters election is the final round of All-Star voting that will determine the starter at every position. The top three vote-getters at each infield position (nine for outfielders) during the primary round advanced to the starters election, which begins Wednesday at 11 a.m. and will conclude after 28 hours at 3 p.m. Thursday.

Yelich is following up his MVP campaign last season with an impressive start to 2019. He leads MLB with 28 home runs and a .751 slugging percentage, while ranking second in batting average (.348) and third in on-base percentage (.442). Yelich will compete against eight other outfielders in the starters election for the three starting spots: Los Angeles Dodgers sluggers Cody Bellinger and Joc Pederson, Jason Heyward, Kyle Schwarber and Albert Almora Jr. of the Chicago Cubs, Atlanta’s Ronald Acuna Jr. and Nick Markakis as well as Colorado’s Charlie Blackmon.

Willson Contreras of the Cubs and Atlanta’s Brian McCann are Grandal’s competition at catcher. At second base, Moustakas will battle Atlanta’s Ozzie Albies and Ketel Marte of the Arizona Diamondbacks.

The All-Star Game will take place July 9 at Progressive Field in Cleveland.