Jurickson Profar’s popularity is growing by the day.
The 31-year-old led all NL outfielders with 2.56 million votes in the opening round of All-Star balloting that came to end on Thursday, as he headlines four Padres who remain candidates to start next month’s All-Star Game.
Second baseman Luis Arraez, is also advancing as are third baseman Manny Machado and right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr.
Tatis, of course, is on the injured list with a right quad injury and will not play in the game. He and Profar, nonetheless, are attempting to become the first Padres outfielders voted into the starting lineup since Tony Gwynn in 1999.
Profar led the six advancing outfielders, followed by the Brewers’ Christian Yelich (2.31 million), the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez (2.13), Tatis (2.05) and the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh (1.68) and Nick Castellanos (1.49).
At second base, Luis Arrez (1.76 million) finished right behind the Diamondbacks’ Ketel Marte (1.85), while the Phillies’ Alec Bohm (3.18) was well ahead of Machado, who had just under 1 million votes.
The vote totals are reset for the final phase, which begins 9 a.m. Sunday and runs through 9 a.m. Wednesday. The starters will be announced that night on ESPN, with full rosters revealed on July 7 on ESPN.
Voting will take place exclusively online at MLB.com/vote, at all 30 team web sites and via the MLB and MLB Ballpark apps.
Other Padres who finished among the leaders at their respective position without advancing include catcher Luis Campusano (5th, 370K), first baseman Jake Cronenworth (3rd, 501K), shortstop Ha-Seong Kim (6th, 406K), designated hitter Donovan Solano (5th, 318K) and outfielder Jackson Merrill (10th, 586K).