All-Star Game 2017: Justin Turner wins Final Vote

The results are in, and for the first time in 11 years the Dodgers have won a Final Vote contest. Third baseman Justin Turner beat out four others for the 32nd and final roster spot on the National League All-Star team.

With 20.8 million votes, Turner outpaced Cubs third baseman Kris Bryant, Nationals third baseman Anthony Rendon, Marlins first baseman Justin Bour, and Rockies first baseman Mark Reynolds.

Here is Turner receiving the news, as announced on MLB Network:

Turner is the second Dodgers player to win the Final Vote, which is shockingly in its 16th season of existence. Current Dodgers broadcaster Nomar Garciaparra, then a first baseman, won the Final Vote back in 2006.

This is a first-time All-Star selection for the 32-year-old Turner, who has been arguably the best non-roster invitee in Dodgers history. Signed to a minor league deal before the 2014 season, Turner since the start of 2014 is tied for ninth in MLB with a 145 wRC+, and 16th among major league hitters with 16.9 fWAR.

Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

In 2017, the first year of a four-year, $64 million contract signed in the offseason, Turner has been even better, hitting .384/.473/.571 with 17 doubles and eight home runs in 61 games.

Turner leads the National League in batting average and on-base percentage, and is in line to have the highest Dodgers batting average before the All-Star break. Among Dodgers with 200 plate appearances before the All-Star break from 1933 to 2016, the highest average was .368 by Dixie Walker in 1946.

Turner is the first Dodgers third baseman to be named an All-Star since Mike Sharperson in 1992.

With the selection of Turner, the Dodgers have five All-Stars — Clayton Kershaw, Kenley Jansen, Corey Seager, and Cody Bellinger are the others. Alex Wood is a potential addition as well, should a pitcher or two drop out, such as Kershaw, who is slated to start Sunday, which would make him ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game on Tuesday.

The Dodgers haven’t had six All-Stars since 1981.

Other Dodgers who were in the Final Vote but lost were Matt Kemp (2009), Andre Ethier (2011), Adrian Gonzalez (2013), Yasiel Puig (2013), and Clayton Kershaw (2015). Ether and Kershaw both eventually made the All-Star team in their year as a replacement.