Update: Judge, Ohtani elected to start in All-Star Game as top vote-getters

NEW YORK — The Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani and the New York Yankees’ Aaron Judge were the first players picked for the July 15 All-Star Game at Atlanta’s Truist Park, elected as starters by fans on Thursday.

Judge led the major leagues with 4,012,983 votes in the first round of fan balloting and the outfielder was picked for his seventh American League start in eight All-Star Games, though he missed the 2023 game because of a sprained right big toe.

He also was the leading vote-getter during the first phase in 2022 and last year.

Judge, Ohtani elected to start in All-Star Game as top vote-getters

Ohtani topped the NL and was second in the big leagues with 3,967,668 votes, becoming the first designated hitter to start in five straight All-Star Games.

The pair were selected under rules that began in 2022 and give starting spots to the top vote-getter in each league in the first phase of online voting, which began June 4 and ended Thursday.

Two finalists at every other position advanced to the second phase, which runs from noon EDT on Monday to noon EDT on July 2. Votes from the first phase do not carry over.

An individual can vote once per 24-hour period.

Judge, Ohtani elected to start in All-Star Game as top vote-getters
Seven players from the World Series champion Dodgers advanced to the second phase along with three each from the Chicago Cubs, Detroit Tigers and New York Mets, and two apiece from the Cleveland Guardians, New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays.

AL finalists:

Catcher: Alejandro Kirk, Cal Raleigh

First base: Paul Goldschmidt, Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Second Base: Jackson Holliday, Gleyber Torres

Third Base: Alex Bregman, José Ramírez

Shortstop: Jacob Wilson, Bobby Witt Jr.

Designated Hitter: Ryan O’Hearn, Ben Rice

Outfield: Javier Báez, Riley Greene, Steven Kwan, Mike Trout

NL finalists

Catcher: Carson Kelly, Will Smith

First Base: Pete Alonso, Freddie Freeman

Second Base: Tommy Edman, Ketel Marte

Third Base: Manny Machado, Max Muncy

Shortstop: Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor

Outfield: Ronald Acuña Jr., Pete Crow-Armstrong, Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages, Juan Soto, Kyle Tucker

Related Posts

Update: Twins’ Ryan Fitzgerald, after 2,868 minor league plate appearances, makes personal MLB history

We love sports because of stories like that of Ryan Fitzgerald. The Minnesota Twins rookie, called up earlier this week, is 31 years old. Before his promotion,…

EXCLUSIVE: Dodgers’ Mookie Betts Speaks Out on Family Matters, Bad Offensive Year

Andy Lyons/Getty Image It’s been a tough offensive season for the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ shortstop, Mookie Betts. In what feels like years ago, Betts started the season by getting a nasty…

The Truth About Carlos Correa That Some Twins Fans Don’t Want to Hear

He broke the curse. He led the team. He didn’t ask out. So why do so many Twins fans hate him now? Image courtesy of © Troy…

Final: Byron Buxton homers in return from IL but Twins fall to Yanks

NEW YORK — Minnesota’s Byron Buxton homered in his return from the 10-day injured list on Monday night against the New York Yankees after the All-Star center…

REPORT: Luke Keaschall’s breakout offers rare joy for Twins fans after deadline heartbreak

Luke Keaschall’s rise gives Twins fans rare reason to smile after deadline Kansas City Royals v Minnesota Twins | Adam Bettcher/GettyImages If a player wasn’t anchored down…

Five potential managerial candidates to succeed Carlos Mendoza if the Mets opt to part ways with their current skipper

The Mets are going through their roughest stretch of the year; is a managerial change needed to turn their season around?