New team, same result: Ohtani leads MLB in jersey sales

The sales figures are out and one thing is abundantly clear when it comes to the most popular MLB player jerseys during the first half of the 2024 season: Shohei Ohtani remains king.

Ohtani, who finished last season atop the jersey sales list, is atop the rankings again so far this year -- though in a Dodgers jersey for the first time. The two-time Most Valuable Player is having another stellar season so far, placing him squarely in the center of the National League MVP race as we head into the All-Star break.

Not only is Ohtani leading MLB jersey sales in the United States, but also in his native Japan and across the globe. Ohtani is the only Japanese-born player to lead jersey sales since MLB and the MLB Players Association began releasing the rankings in 2010.

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Behind Ohtani are the two leading vote-getters for this year’s All-Star Game, which will be played on Tuesday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas: superstar sluggers Bryce Harper of the Phillies (ranked No. 2) and Aaron Judge of the Yankees (No. 3).

The team with the most players ranked in the top 20 is the Dodgers, with three -- Ohtani, Mookie Betts (No. 4) and Freddie Freeman (No. 20). For the first time since 2011, the Phillies, who own MLB’s best record, have multiple players ranked in the top 20 -- Harper and Trea Turner (No. 13).

Rising young stars are also represented in the top 20, with electric shortstop Elly De La Cruz of the Reds (No. 15) and All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman of the Orioles (No. 16) moving up the list.

The diversity in the rankings wasn’t limited to age range. Almost half of the players among the top 20 were born outside the United States -- nine players from Japan, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela and Puerto Rico.

The full rankings, based on sales of Nike jerseys from MLBShop.com since Opening Day, are as follows:

1. Shohei Ohtani, No. 17, Dodgers
2. Bryce Harper, No. 3, Phillies
3. Aaron Judge, No. 99, Yankees
4. Mookie Betts, No. 50, Dodgers
5. Ronald Acuña Jr., No. 13, Braves
6. Juan Soto, No. 22, Yankees
7. Francisco Lindor, No. 12, Mets
8. Fernando Tatis Jr., No. 23, Padres
9. Corey Seager, No. 5, Rangers
10. Jose Altuve, No. 27, Astros
11. Nolan Arenado, No. 28, Cardinals
12. Pete Alonso, No. 20, Mets
13. Trea Turner, No. 7, Phillies
14. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., No. 27, Blue Jays
15. Elly De La Cruz, No. 44, Reds
16. Adley Rutschman, No. 35, Orioles
17. Matt Olson, No. 28, Braves
18. Manny Machado, No. 13, Padres
19. Bo Bichette, No. 11, Blue Jays
20. Freddie Freeman, No. 5, Dodgers