Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper Lead All-Star Votes
The anticipation for the July 16 All-Star Game at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, is building as baseball fans celebrate the election of Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper to the starting lineups. Leading the fan vote in impressive fashion, Judge amassed 3,425,309 votes, topping the major leagues in the first round of balloting. Harper, not far behind, garnered 3,277,920 votes to lead the National League and place second overall.
This election marks a significant milestone for Judge, earning his sixth American League start in seven All-Star Game selections. Last year, a sprained right big toe kept him from participating, despite leading the fan voting in the first phase. Notably, Judge is the 11th player since the resumption of fan balloting in 1970 to lead the majors in votes on multiple occasions.
For Bryce Harper, this year's selection signifies his eighth All-Star Game appearance, and seventh as a starter. His consistent performance and fan support have solidified his place among the elite players in the league.
All-Star Voting Details
The first phase of online voting, which began on June 5, concluded last Thursday, allowing individuals to vote once every 24 hours. The top vote-getter in each league in this initial phase secures a starting spot in the All-Star Game. The second phase of voting, running from noon EDT on Sunday to noon EDT on June 30, will determine the remaining starters, who will be announced on June 30. Pitchers and reserves will be revealed on July 7.
Key Players in The Second Phase
Several teams and players have shown remarkable fan support. Notably, the Baltimore Orioles and the Philadelphia Phillies each have six players advancing to the second phase. Among the shifting dynamics, Kyle Schwarber has overtaken Marcell Ozuna for the second spot among National League designated hitters, and Ryan O'Hearn has moved ahead of Giancarlo Stanton for second in the American League's designated hitter race.
The competition is heating up with finalists across various positions. For the American League, the catcher position sees Salvador Perez and Adley Rutschman pitted against each other. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Ryan Mountcastle are finalists for first base, while Jose Altuve and Marcus Semien compete for second base. At third base, fans will decide between Jose Ramirez and Jordan Westburg, and for shortstop, the contenders are Gunnar Henderson and Bobby Witt Jr. The outfield finalists include Steven Kwan, Anthony Santander, Juan Soto, and Kyle Tucker. The designated hitter spot is contested by Yordan Alvarez and Ryan O'Hearn.
In the National League, the catcher position is a race between William Contreras and J.T. Realmuto. Luis Arraez and Ketel Marte vie for second base, Alec Bohm and Manny Machado for third base, and for shortstop, Mookie Betts faces off against Trea Turner. The competition in the outfield is particularly fierce, with Nick Castellanos, Teoscar Hernandez, Brandon Marsh, Jurickson Profar, Fernando Tatis Jr., and Christian Yelich as finalists. The designated hitter spot sees Shohei Ohtani going head-to-head with Kyle Schwarber.
With the voting process structured to maintain excitement and engagement, fans eagerly await the announcement of the complete All-Star rosters. As the second phase commences, every vote will be crucial in shaping the starting lineups for the highly anticipated All-Star Game.
Stay tuned as the All-Star festivities approach, promising to showcase the best talent Major League Baseball has to offer.