BOSTON (AP) -The Boston Red Sox have asked Major League Baseball about substituting first baseman Kevin Youkilis for David Ortiz on the All-Star ballot filled out by players.
“We’ve inquired, but the paperwork has not been filed,” Red Sox spokesman John Blake said Wednesday.
Ortiz, a designated hitter, is listed on the fan ballot as a first baseman because there is no category for the DH. He is the leader among AL first basemen with 1,055,260 votes. Justin Morneau of Minnesota is second with 519,432. Fan voting ends June 28.
Youkilis is Boston’s regular first baseman and was hitting .335 going into Wednesday night’s game against Colorado. He also had a career-high 23-game hitting streak that ended June 1.
Names listed on ballots distributed to players can be different from those given to fans. Ballots will be given to players the weekend of June 23-24, Blake said. The All-Star game is scheduled for San Francisco on July 10.
Youkilis “is having a good year,” Ortiz said. “You never know how close you can get to the All-Star game. If I can do anything for one of my teammates, I will.”
Ortiz was hitting. 340 before Wednesday’s game.
“I just think it’s a guy being real classy,” Boston manager Terry Francona said. “Youkilis is making a name for himself. When he put that hitting streak together, it got some national attention.”
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