We're into July, which means the Major League Baseball All-Star Game is quickly approaching. On Sunday evening, MLB revealed the rosters for the 89th annual Midsummer Classic. The 2018 All-Star Game takes place Tuesday, July 17 in Washington D.C.'s Nationals Park. The Home Run Derby is the night before and things officially get started Sunday, July 15 with the Futures Game (rosters here). We've got seven things to know about the All-Star rosters that has background on how the teams are chosen, the roster construction, etc. Here are the rosters, followed by the Final Vote candidates for each league. Be sure to refresh this page, as results will continue to update throughout Sunday's selection show. In parentheses by each player is the number of All-Star trips now, including this year. National League Dodgers manager Dave Roberts will select at DH American League<doc-sep>The first half of the Major League Baseball season was dominated by a trio of American League powerhouses, and that was reflected in rosters for the 89th All-Star Game that were revealed on Sunday. The East-leading Boston Red Sox, Central-leading Cleveland Indians and defending World Series champion Houston Astros each placed five players on the AL squad, while the similarly dominant New York Yankees have four representatives - including a young star not yet three months into his career. While there are still plenty of moving parts as players are replaced due to injury and other circumstances before the July 17 game at Washington's Nationals Park, here are the starters and reserves named (statistics through Saturday): American League starters C Wilson Ramos, Rays Appearance: Second. Age: 30 Why he's an All-Star: Ramos, the former National who tore his ACL a week before the 2016 NL Division Series, returns to Washington as an All-Star. An All-Star in 2016, Ramos is one of the more productive offensive catchers, leading AL backstops in batting (.289) and second in OPS (.802). Fun fact: Ramos worked Max Scherzer's two no-hitters and his 20-strikeout game. Reserve: Salvador Perez, Royals 1B Jose Abreu, White Sox Appearance: Second. Age: 31 Why he's an All-Star: Despite a June slump, he is batting .259 and leads AL first basemen with 50 RBI and is fourth with a .766 OPS. Fun fact: Abreu is the first White Sox player to be voted by the fans into the All-Star Game since Frank Thomas in 1996 and just the sixth in franchise history. Reserve: Mitch Moreland, Red Sox 2B Jose Altuve, Astros Appearance: Sixth. Age: 28 Why he's an All-Star: With 121 hits at the break, the reigning AL MVP is on pace for his fifth straight 200-hit season. Fun fact: Altuve logged 1,272 hits in his first 1,000 games. Of the 25 players ever to collect more in that span, 18 are in the Hall of Fame. Reserve: Gleyber Torres, Yankees 3B Jose Ramirez, Indians Appearance: Second. Age: 25 Why he's an All-Star: Ramirez is making a strong case for the AL MVP up against Mike Trout and Mookie Betts. Since May 1, Ramirez has slugged 17 homers, putting him on a 50-homer pace. He is one of four players with at least 20 home runs (25) and doubles (24) and ranks fourth in the majors in OPS (.991). Fun fact: In 2017, Ramirez finished third in AL MVP voting behind Altuve and Aaron Judge. Reserve: Alex Bregman, Astros SS Manny Machado, Orioles Appearance: Fourth. Age: 26 Why he's an All-Star: After his first five full seasons as a Gold Glove third baseman, Machado leads a deep position in RBI (60) and is fourth in OPS (.936). Fun fact: He's the brother-in-law to Indians first baseman Yonder Alonso. Reserve: Francisco Lindor, Indians OF Mookie Betts, Red Sox Appearance: Third. Age: 25 Why he's an All-Star: An AL MVP candidate, Betts is the ultimate leadoff hitter with bona fide power. With 22 home runs and a league-leading at-bat/home run ratio (12.31), he is on pace for a career-high 39 homers. He also leads the league in in slugging (.679), OPS (1.112). Fun fact: He was named after former NBA point guard Mookie Blaylock and the nephew to former MLB player Terry Shumpert. OF Mike Trout, Angels Appearance: Seventh. Age: 27 Why he's an All-Star: Trout is the best position player in the majors and is having another MVP-type season. He’s threatening to surpass Babe Ruth for the greatest Wins Above Replacement season ever produced. Fun fact: Trout has made the All-Star team every year since his rookie season in 2012. OF Aaron Judge, Yankees Appearance: Second. Age: 26 Why he's an All-Star: Judge has overpowered the sophomore slump thus far. Despite being slightly off his home run pace from last season, he's on pace for a second straight 40-homer, 100-RBI season. Fun fact: Judge slugged 52 home runs in 2017, breaking Mark McGwire's MLB rookie record of 49 and the Yankees' full-season rookie record, previously held by Joe DiMaggio with 29. Reserves: Michael Brantley, Indians; Shin-Soo Choo, Rangers; Mitch Haniger, Mariners; George Springer, Astros. DH J.D. Martinez, Red Sox Appearance: Second. Age: 30 Why he's an All-Star: Martinez is a Triple Crown threat who has proven he's best free agent signing in the offseason. He leads the majors in homers (27), RBI (74) and total bases (212) and ranks fourth in the AL in batting (.329). Fun fact: Martinez became the 18th player in MLB history to hit four home runs in a game in 2017. Reserve: Nelson Cruz, Mariners. AL pitchers Starters: Trevor Bauer, Indians; Jose Berrios, Twins; Gerrit Cole, Astros, J.A. Happ, Blue Jays; Corey Kluber, Indians; Chris Sale, Red Sox; Luis Severino, Yankees; Justin Verlander, Astros (inactive). Relievers: Aroldis Chapman, Yankees; Edwin Diaz, Mariners; Joe Jimenez, Tigers; Craig Kimbrel, Red Sox; Blake Treinen, Athletics. AL final vote Andrew Benintendi, OF, Red Sox; Eddie Rosario, OF, Twins; Giancarlo Stanton, OF, Yankees; Jean Segura, SS, Mariners; Andrelton Simmons, SS, Angels. National League starters C Willson Contreras, Cubs Appearance: First. Age: 26 Why he's an All-Star: Contreras edged Buster Posey in fan voting at the wire, and has perhaps surpassed the Giants catcher as the premier offensive backstop in the NL. He matches Posey's .371 on-base percentage but is outslugging him .469 to .420, and has emerged as a rock on the Cubs. Fun fact: Contreras made perhaps the best use of an off day this season when he and Andrea Villamazar were married at Chicago's City Hall on May 4. Reserves: Buster Posey, Giants, J.T. Realmuto, Marlins 1B Freddie Freeman, Braves Appearance: Third. Age: 28 Why he's an All-Star: He's the people's choice, the top vote-getter in the NL. Freeman, with 105 hits, leads all first baseman with a .310 batting average. Fun fact: Freeman was rescued by former teammate and Hall of Famer Chipper Jones when he was stranded on the interstate after a rare winter storm paralyzed Atlanta in January 2014. Reserve: Paul Goldschmidt, Diamondbacks, Joey Votto, Reds 2B Javier Baez, Cubs Appearance: First. Age: 21 Why he's an All-Star: Baez's charismatic style of play has been matched - or exceeded - by his production, as he's produced 17 homers and 16 stolen bases while toggling between second and shortstop. He still has the flash - Baez has stolen home twice this season. Fun fact: He's a two-time winner of the Fielding Bible's Multi-Position Award. Reserves: Ozzie Albies, Braves, Scooter Gennett, Reds 3B Nolan Arenado, Rockies Appearance: Fourth. Age: 27 Why he's an All-Star: Arenado is having another monster year and is a leading candidate for the NL MVP award. Known more for his offensive production, Arenado is on his way to a sixth Rawlings Gold Glove Award. Fun fact: Arenado is of Cuban-American heritage. His grandfather was a political prisoner of Cuban dictator Fidel Castro. Reserve: Eugenio Suarez, Reds SS Brandon Crawford, Giants Appearance: Second. Age: 31 Why he's an All-Star: Crawford, winner of the NL's past three Gold Glove awards at his position, entered the month of May batting .191. Since then, he's been one of baseball's best hitters, batting .347 with a .974 OPS -- all before the birth of his fourth child in June. Fun fact: He's the brother-in-law of Astros pitcher Gerrit Cole. Reserve: Trevor Story, Rockies OF Nick Markakis, Braves Appearance: First. Age: 34 Why he's an All-Star: After 1,927 regular season games and 13 seasons in the big leagues, Markakis is enjoying his most consistent season yet. The first-time All-Star leads the NL with 112 hits and ranks second in batting with a .324 average. Fun fact: Markakis has more hits (2,164) than any player without an All-Star appearance. Since 1933, the year of the first All-Star game, 158 other players have collected at least 2,100 hits. All of them, except Juan Pierre, made at least one All-Star team. OF Bryce Harper, Nationals Appearance: Sixth. Age: 25 Why he's an All-Star: Despite hitting a career-low .219, Harper remains a marquee attraction and his 21 homers rank third in the NL.<doc-sep>The Boston Red Sox, at present, will be sending five players to the 2018 MLB All-Star Game. But if Red Sox nation stands tall, Boston could send a sixth. Mookie Betts, J.D. Martinez, Mitch Moreland, Chris Sale and Craig Kimbrel already have punched their tickets to this year’s Mid-Summer Classic in Washington D.C. And if Andrew Benintendi wins the final vote, the young outfielder will be joining his Sox teammates in the nation’s capital. Here are the candidates from each league: American League Andrew Benintendi, OF, Boston Red Sox Andrelton Simmons, SS, Los Angels Angels Eddie Rosario, OF, Minnesota Twins Giancarlo Stanton, OF, New York Yankees Jean Segura, SS, Seattle Mariners National League Max Muncy, 1B/3B, Los Angeles Dodgers Jesus Aguilar, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers Matt Carpenter, 3B, St. Louis Cardinals Brandon Belt, 1B, San Francisco Giants Trea Turner, SS, Washington Nationals. Fans can vote on MLB.com from now until July 11 at 4 p.m. ET. Thumbnail photo via Kim Klement/USA TODAY Sports<doc-sep>
The 2018 All-Star Game rosters were officially announced on Sunday night. The catch, however, is that one roster spot for each team remains open. That's by design, of course, as that last spot will again be decided by fans as part of the appropriately named Final Vote. Here's the ballot. To help you cast an informed vote, here's a look at the 10 players (five per league) included on the Final Vote ballot. Voting ends Wednesday, July 11, 2018, at 4:00 p.m. ET. American League Final Vote candidates Andrew Benintendi BOS • LF • 16 BA .286 R 63 HR 14 RBI 55 SB 16 View Profile Benintendi is building off his very good rookie year with an even better sophomore campaign by walking more, hitting for more power and stealing more often. He's slashing .293/.379/.515 with 22 doubles, five triples14 homers and 16 stolen bases for the team with the best record in baseball on selection night. Eddie Rosario CLE • LF • 9 BA .306 R 58 HR 18 RBI 53 SB 6 View Profile The 26-year-old Rosario is having a career year for the Twins. Through 86 games, he's hitting .301/.342/.536 with 23 doubles, 18 homers and 53 RBI. Also meriting mention is his vastly improved defense in left field, where he was negative-6 last year in defensive runs saved and this season sits at a plus-8. Jean Segura PHI • SS • 2 BA .333 R 61 HR 7 RBI 47 SB 14 View Profile Segura's biggest crime this season has been playing the same position as Manny Machado and Francisco Lindor, because he's been unbelievable for the Mariners, who sport the fourth-best record in baseball. Segura is hitting .330 with 14 stolen bases, 61 runs and helped keep his team afloat after the Robinson Cano injury/PED suspension. Andrelton Simmons MIN • SS • 9 BA .312 R 42 HR 6 RBI 39 SB 5 View Profile Ditto for Simmons with the AL shortstop crowdedness. Truth be told, there were four AL shortstops who should have been selected from the get-go. The best defensive player in baseball (yes, he is), Simmons is doing with the bat now, too. hitting .312 with a .373 on-base percentage and only 15 strikeouts in 325 plate appearances entering Sunday night. Giancarlo Stanton NYY • DH • 27 BA .265 R 52 HR 21 RBI 51 SB 2 View Profile The NL MVP last season took his act to the Bronx this year and weathered a slow start. He's now hitting .267 with 21 homers, 51 RBI and an OPS of .851. He's probably lesser deserving than a few others here this season, but he has the most star power and the Yankees brand on his side now. National League Final Vote candidates Jesus Aguilar MIA • 1B • 24 BA .303 R 42 HR 20 RBI 59 SB 0 View Profile The 28-year-old Aguilar has been brilliant in helping keep the Brewers atop the National League to this point. He's shattering all his career highs and added two more homers Sunday in another victory. He's now hitting .306/.368/.633(!) with 14 doubles, 22 homers and 63 RBI. Brandon Belt SF • 1B • 9 BA .296 R 39 HR 13 RBI 41 SB 2 View Profile An appendectomy interrupted perhaps the best half of baseball in Belt's career. Through 75 games, he's hitting .300/.393/.500 with 16 doubles, 13 homers and 42 RBI. Keep in mind the ballpark he has to deal with in home games, too. Excellent first half. Matt Carpenter STL • 3B • 13 BA .256 R 52 HR 16 RBI 38 SB 0 View Profile Perennially underrated, Carpenter can play first, second or third. He isn't hitting for much average, but he takes a lot of walks and hits for power, as evidenced by his .365 OBP and .513 SLG with 26 doubles, 17 homers and 51 walks. Max Muncy LAD • 1B • 13 BA .270 R 39 HR 20 RBI 38 SB 2 View Profile You simply can't say enough about what Muncy has meant to the Dodgers in light of the Justin Turner (he's back now, but missed a while) and Corey Seager injuries. Muncy played third with Turner out and has bounced around to first and second, too. He heads into Sunday night hitting .269/.408/.614 with 20 homers and 38 RBI.