National League All-Star manager Bruce Bochy Friday he was open to the idea of adding Los Angeles Dodgers rookie Yasiel Puig to the NL roster for the July 16 All-Star Game at Citi Field in New York.
Apparently, Bochy wasn't open enough.
Bochy, also the San Francisco Giants manager, selected Milwaukee Brewers center fielder Carlos Gomez and Pittsburgh Pirates center fielder Andrew McCutchen as the NL outfield reserves after the fans voted in the St. Louis Cardinals' Carlos Beltran, the Colorado Rockies' Carlos Gonzalez and the Washington Nationals' Bryce Harper, USA Today reported.
The door of opportunity has not yet shut on Puig's chances of playing in the All-Star Game. He is on the ballot for the 34th and final roster spot on the NL ballot that will be decided in an online vote by the fans that will take place through July 11 at 4 p.m. ET.
In the final vote, however, Puig faces competition from fellow Dodger Adrian Gonzalez, the team's first basemen, which could split fans votes for either. The other three players on the NL final ballot are Washington Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond, Atlanta Braves first baseman Freddie Freeman and San Francisco Giants outfielder Hunter Pence.
If Puig does not win the fans' final vote, he still could be added as an injury replacement, should an NL All-Star get hurt before the game.
Puig told USA Today in a Spanish-language interview that he won't be upset if he doesn't become an All-Star this season.
"Any athlete would like to be in the All-Star Game, but if I'm not selected, I would still be happy because my thing is for my team to win,'' he said. "That's what makes me happy."
With Puig in the lineup, the Dodgers have gone 18-12 and come back from 9½ games behind in the NL West to 3½ entering Saturday's games.
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