All-Star Ballot update: Close races highlight battle for starting spots

One day after Phase 2 of the Scotts MLB All-Star Ballot got underway, we have our first look at where things stand in the voting to determine this year’s All-Star starters.

The Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr. and the Angels’ Shohei Ohtani have already earned starting spots by virtue of being the leading vote-getters in the National League and American League, respectively in Phase 1. The rest of the All-Star starters will be revealed on Thursday at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.

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Phase 2 voting continues until noon ET on Thursday. Fans can vote only once per 24-hour period on MLB platforms for whom they want to see in the Midsummer Classic. Vote totals from Phase 1 didn’t carry over.

Here’s how the standings look so far in Phase 2.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

FIRST BASE
1) Yandy Díaz, Rays: 54%
2) Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays: 46%

Guerrero (11 HR, .807 OPS) led all AL first basemen in votes during Phase 1, but Díaz (12 HR, .922 OPS) has taken an early lead in Phase 2 over the man who started at first base for the AL in each of the past two All-Star Games. Evan Longoria, Carl Crawford and Corey Dickerson are the only Rays position players to start an All-Star Game in the franchise's history.

SECOND BASE
1) Marcus Semien, Rangers: 66%
2) Whit Merrifield, Blue Jays: 34%

The Rangers haven’t had an All-Star starter since Adrián Beltré, Josh Hamilton and Mike Napoli all started in 2012, but they have a number of finalists in the running to start this year. That includes Semien (11 HR, .805 OPS), who has earned a larger percentage of the vote at his position than any other AL finalist so far. He’s up against Merrifield, who has hit .292 with 18 steals and a .723 OPS in 2023, his first full season with the Blue Jays after being traded from the Royals to Toronto last summer.

THIRD BASE
1) Josh Jung, Rangers: 59%
2) Matt Chapman, Blue Jays: 41%

If Jung (15 HR, .804 OPS) can hold off Chapman (10 HR, .805 OPS), he’d become the first Rangers rookie to start an All-Star Game since the franchise moved to Texas in 1972. Chapman is a one-time All-Star, but he’s still in search of his first starting nod.

SHORTSTOP
1) Corey Seager, Rangers: 60%
2) Bo Bichette, Blue Jays: 40%

Bichette (14 HR, .855 OPS) has a chance to become the first Blue Jays shortstop to start an All-Star Game, but he’s currently trailing Seager, who leads all AL players (min. 200 plate appearances) in batting average (.344) and on-base percentage (.409) while ranking third in slugging (.608).

OUTFIELD
1) Mike Trout, Angels: 22%
2) Randy Arozarena, Rays: 22%
3) Aaron Judge, Yankees: 19%
4) Yordan Alvarez, Astros: 16%
5) Adolis García, Rangers: 12%
6) Kevin Kiermaier, Blue Jays: 9%

Trout (17 HR, .844 OPS), who has made 10 All-Star teams and started six times, is currently running neck and neck with Arozarena (14 HR, .890 OPS) for the lead spot among AL outfielders. The Angels outfielder was voted to start in 2021 and '22, but injuries prevented him from playing in both games. Trout and Arozarena are followed immediately by Judge and Alvarez, who are both on the injured list with no timetable for a return.

CATCHER
1) Jonah Heim, Rangers: 54%
2) Adley Rutschman, Orioles: 46%

Heim makes four Rangers currently leading their races in Phase 2. The 28-year-old is in the midst of a breakout year, hitting .282 with 11 homers, 55 RBIs and an .809 OPS over 69 games. Rutschman has cooled off in June, but he’s still leading the AL in walks while slashing .269/.380/.416 with 10 homers in 74 games.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

FIRST BASE
1) Freddie Freeman, Dodgers: 60%
2) Matt Olson, Braves: 40%

Eyeing his fourth career All-Star start and first since joining the Dodgers, Freeman (14 HR, .946 OPS) has opened up a lead over Olson, the man who replaced him as the Braves’ starting first baseman. Olson is only batting .237 on the year, but he’s leading the NL in homers (25) and RBIs (60).

SECOND BASE
1) Luis Arraez, Marlins: 54%
2) Ozzie Albies, Braves: 46%

This is one of the closest races in either league so far, with Arraez and Albies separated by eight percentage points. Albies (18 HR, .810 OPS) is having a strong bounce-back season after dealing with injuries in 2022, but Arraez could be tough to overcome as he continues to flirt with a .400 batting average while also leading MLB in hits (111) and OBP (.451).

THIRD BASE
1) Nolan Arenado, Cardinals: 58%
2) Austin Riley, Braves: 42%

The Cardinals have struggled this season, but that hasn’t hindered Arenado’s (15 HR, .786 OPS) All-Star support so far. The seven-time All-Star led all NL third basemen in Phase 1 voting and has the early advantage over Riley (13 HR, .770 OPS) in Phase 2. If Arenado maintains his lead, he’d earn his fifth All-Star starting nod.

SHORTSTOP
1) Orlando Arcia, Braves: 69%
2) Francisco Lindor, Mets: 31%

Surprisingly, no player in either league has received a larger share of the vote at his position in Phase 2 than Arcia, an eight-year veteran enjoying a career year (.314/.369/.451 slash) for the Braves. Lindor (15 HR, .747 OPS) has some significant ground to make up if he’s going to earn his first career All-Star starting nod.

OUTFIELD
1) Mookie Betts, Dodgers: 35%
2) Corbin Carroll, D-backs: 31%
3) Michael Harris II, Braves: 19%
4) Lourdes Gurriel Jr., D-backs: 16%

With Acuña having already earned one of the starting outfield spots in the NL, these four are competing for the final two spots. If these results hold, Betts (19 HR, .866 OPS) would make his fifth All-Star start, while Carroll (16 HR, 23 SB, .927 OPS) would become the first rookie in D-backs history to start the Midsummer Classic.

CATCHER
1) Sean Murphy, Braves: 56%
2) Will Smith, Dodgers: 44%

One of the best acquisitions any team made last offseason, Murphy has taken a lead over Smith as he looks to become the first Braves catcher to start an All-Star Game since Brian McCann in 2011. This is one of the toughest calls on the ballot, with Murphy recording a .290 average, 12 homers and a .919 OPS, and Smith posting a .291 average, 12 homers and a .924 OPS.

DESIGNATED HITTER
1) J.D. Martinez, Dodgers: 53%
2) Bryce Harper, Phillies: 47%

After going deep 11 times in 19 games from May 20 through June 10, Martinez (16 HR, .856 OPS) hasn’t homered in his past 12 games, but he nonetheless holds an advantage over Harper after a day of voting in Phase 2. Harper has a .286 batting average and .390 OBP in 2023, but he’s still searching for his power stroke after missing the first 30 games of the season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.