On Tuesday, Washington Nationals outfielder Bryce Harper set the all-time, single-season National League voting record for the All-Star Game with 9,224, 370 votes — and counting.
The 22-year-old is on the verge of making his third all-star appearance, and second fan-selected start. If he is named a starter, Harper will be the first player in Nationals franchise history to be selected by the fans to start in two all-star games.
Heading into Tuesday’s series opener against the Atlanta Braves, Harper is batting .345, which ranks fourth in the majors. He also has a career-high 24 home runs, behind only Miami Marlins outfielder Giancarlo Stanton’s 25, and is tied for second in RBI (57) with Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Paul Goldschmidt. Harper’s .735 slugging percentage is a league best.
“I have a great team and a lot of people around me that support me,” Harper said Tuesday. “I feel like having the fans we do here, it’s a lot of fun. We have a such a bullseye on our backs as a team, as an organization. We’re just trying to go out there, have fun and enjoy it. Those votes, that’s something that I’m proud of. I’m proud to have the fans that I do. I owe a lot to what the fans come out and do for us every single night. They’ve done a great job.”