NEW YORK -- Entering Thursday, the tweets, videos and gimmicks were expected to continue right up until 4 p.m. ET on Friday, the Yankees doing everything they can to get fans to back outfielder Brett Gardner via the Esurance MLB All-Star Game Final Vote. At stake was a trip to Tuesday's All-Star Game presented by T-Mobile.
But Gardner's bat was likely most responsible for his election to the American League roster as an injury replacement for Kansas City's Alex Gordon, an announcement made on Thursday afternoon, shortly after Gardner collected his third hit of the day in New York's 6-2 win over the A's.