2019 MLB All-Star Game Voting: Date, Start Time, New Rules for 'Primary' Format

Major League Baseball is changing up its All-Star voting procedures this year leading up to the July 9 event at Progressive Field in Cleveland.

Per MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince, voting will start with a 25-day process, known as the Primary, that begins Tuesday at 2 p.m. ET and wraps up June 21 at 4 p.m. ET. 

The Primary will determine the top three vote-getters at every infield position and top nine vote-getters in the outfield for both the American and National Leagues. 

At the conclusion of the Primary, finalists will be revealed during MLB Network's coverage of the New York Yankees-Houston Astros game June 21.

Among the group of finalists, fans will determine this year's All-Star Game starters. Voting will run from noon ET on June 26 through 4 p.m. ET on June 27. 

Unlike the old format, which allowed fans to vote on a standard ballot up to 35 times, they can vote up to five times per day during the Primary but only once in the final voting that will determine the starting lineup. 

Castrovince noted the change in voting format "is an opportunity to improve the fan experience surrounding baseball's signature summer showcase, taking the excitement of the Final Vote and raising the stakes considerably."

It could also theoretically give players in smaller markets who are worthy of starting MLB's Midsummer Classic a better chance of winning the vote. 

As an example, Cleveland is hosting this year's All-Star festivities, and Francisco Lindor has been one of MLB's best shortstops since his 2015 debut. He's never been voted in as a starter but has appeared in the game three times. 

This year, if Lindor makes it into the top three shortstops for the AL during the Primary, he has a better chance of starting since fans are only allowed to vote once, and fans in markets like Boston and New York can't stuff the ballot for their teams' shortstops. 

The starting rosters will be revealed June 27 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN, with the reserves and pitchers being announced June 30 at 5:30 p.m.