All-Star Ballot

All-Star Game starters

All-Star Game starters (except for starting pitchers) are chosen via fan vote, which is broken up into two periods.

In Phase 1 of voting, fans vote on a full slate of players at each position -- including the designated hitter for both leagues -- picking their top choice at each spot (and three outfielders) in the American League and National League. The top overall vote-getter in each league after Phase 1 earns an automatic starting spot in the All-Star Game. At every other position, the top two players (and top six for outfielders) advance to Phase 2 of voting.

In Phase 2 -- a.k.a. the All-Star Ballot Finals -- fans must select from the two finalists at each position, and the top six outfielders, in each league. The winners of each finalist election, plus the No. 1 vote-getters from Phase 1, are named the All-Star Game starters. Vote totals don't carry over from Phase 1 to Phase 2.

For example, in 2023, Angels DH Shohei Ohtani and Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. were the leading vote-getters in the AL and NL, respectively, after Phase 1 of All-Star voting. Ohtani was awarded the AL's starting DH spot and Acuña was awarded one of the three NL starting outfield spots. Therefore, there was no need for a Phase 2 vote at DH in the AL, and the number of NL outfield finalists was reduced from six to four with Acuña already having been named one of the starters.

Finalists who don't win the All-Star Ballot Finals at their position are not automatically added to All-Star rosters, so after the starters are selected by fans, each league has 23 spots to fill to reach a total of 20 position players and 12 pitchers per side.

Pitchers and position player reserves

All of the pitchers and position player reserves are chosen through a combination of Player Ballot selections and choices made by the Commissioner's Office.

There are 32 roster spots for each league (20 position players and 12 pitchers). The player ballots account for 17 players in both the AL and NL -- eight pitchers (five starters and three relievers), as well as one backup for each position, including DH. The Commissioner's Office is responsible for selecting six additional players in each league (four pitchers and two position players). At this stage, MLB must ensure that every club is represented by at least one All-Star selection.

If an elected starter is unable to play, the player on the All-Star roster who received the next-most votes on the player ballot at that position moves into the starting lineup. The roster replacement for the original player is then chosen by the Commissioner's Office.

If a player-elected reserve position player must be replaced, the next in line on the player ballot becomes a reserve. If the top three finishers on the player ballot at a given position are all already All-Stars, then MLB can select a different replacement.

Managers

The two teams are managed by the previous year's World Series skippers, and they make the decisions on batting orders and starting pitchers.

History

• The All-Star Game fan voting process was changed to its current system in 2022. From 2019-2022, although there were still two phases of voting, there was no automatic starting spot awarded to the top overall vote-getter in each league in Phase 1. Instead, the Phase 1 voting results were used to determine three finalists at each position in the AL and NL. Fans then picked the All-Star Game starters from those three finalists during Phase 2 voting. The National League DH was also not included in fan voting during this time; the starting DH was picked by the NL manager.

• In All-Star Game fan voting before 2019, the top vote-getter at each position during a single voting period advanced straight to the All-Star starting lineup.

• From 2002-2018, the final roster spot in each league was also determined by what was known as the Final Vote, with fans having a chance to choose from five players in each league.

• A change made in 2017 resulted in All-Star managers no longer having a say in selections, so there's no longer the potential for any perceived conflicts of interest.

• Prior to 2011, the DH rule was only for the All-Star Game if the game was being held in an AL park.

• Fans were able to select the starters for each league in each of the first two MLB All-Star Games (1933 and 1934), and from 1947-1957. The two All-Star Game managers picked the teams from 1935-1946.

• In 1957, Reds fans were accused of stuffing the ballot box, with seven Cincinnati players being voted to start the All-Star Game. In response, Commissioner Ford C. Frick replaced Gus Bell and Wally Post with Willie Mays and Hank Aaron. Frick also eliminated fan balloting, with players, managers and coaches selecting the All-Star rosters from 1958-1969. Fan balloting was restored in 1970.