The Los Angeles Dodgers’ standout Shohei Ohtani and the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge have been elected as the starters for the upcoming All-Star Game, scheduled for July 15 at Atlanta’s Truist Park. This announcement follows the first round of fan voting, which concluded Thursday.
Aaron Judge led all major league players with an impressive 4,012,983 votes, earning his seventh American League start in eight All-Star Games, despite not participating in the 2023 event due to a sprained right big toe. Remarkably, Judge has been the leading vote-getter in the first phase during the past two years, showcasing his popularity among fans.
Meanwhile, Shohei Ohtani garnered 3,967,668 votes, topping the National League and marking his fifth consecutive All-Star Game start as a designated hitter—a historic feat in itself. The voting process for 2023 saw top players selected based on a fan ballot that began on June 4, with the initial votes not carrying over to the second phase. The second phase of voting will take place from noon ET on Monday until noon ET on July 2, allowing fans to vote again for other positions.
In terms of other players, seven players from the defending World Series champion Dodgers, along with three players each from the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers, and New York Mets, advanced to this second phase. Notably, the New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays each had two players moving forward.
The finalists in the American League include notable names such as Alejandro Kirk, Cal Raleigh, Paul Goldschmidt, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr., amongst others. The National League features stars like Carson Kelly, Will Smith, Pete Alonso, and Ronald Acuña Jr.
The excitement continues to build as the remaining starters will be announced on July 2, with pitchers and reserves following soon after on July 6. This year’s All-Star Game promises to showcase some of the best talent in baseball, further engaging fans and building anticipation around America’s favorite pastime.