New York, NY – Freddie Freeman of the Atlanta Braves and Steve Delabar of the Toronto Blue Jays are going to the 2013 All-Star Game after winning the online fan vote.
Major League Baseball announced the results of the Final Vote on Thursday. Baseball fans around the world supported the 10 candidates named by All-Star managers Jim Leyland and Bruce Bochy by casting a record 79.2 million votes. This year's record number of votes surpassed the previous mark of 68.6 million set in 2009.
Freeman edged rookie sensation Yasiel Puig of the Dodgers in a close race with each finishing with more votes than the previous record-holder, Shane Victorino (15.6 million in 2009). Freeman's total of 19.7 million is the new all-time Final Vote record as he becomes the second Braves player to win the online balloting.
They were followed by Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants, Ian Desmond of the Washington Nationals and Puig's teammate, Adrian Gonzalez.
Delabar, became the first Toronto player to win with 9.6 million votes, holding off the rallies from fellow pitchers David Robertson (Yankees), Joaquin Benoit (Tigers), Koji Uehara (Red Sox) and Tanner Scheppers (Rangers).
Freeman, a first baseman, heads into Thursday's action batting .307 with nine homers, 56 RBI and 49 runs scored in 78 games this season.
Delabar is 5-1 with one save and a 1.74 ERA in 37 relief appearances this season.
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