Vote NOW: Phase 2 of balloting for All-Star Game starters has begun
Phase 2 of the 2023 MLB All-Star vote is underway.
With each league's top vote-getter -- Ronald Acuña Jr. in the NL And Shohei Ohtani in the AL -- assured a starting spot, the top two vote-getters at each position, and the top six outfielders, are battling it out in Phase 2 of the voting, which determines the All-Star Game starters. (In the NL, because Acuña is already locked in as one outfielder, only the top four vote-getters after him advanced to Phase 2.)
TOP OVERALL VOTE-GETTERS
AL: Shohei Ohtani, DH, Angels -- 2,646,307 votes
NL: Ronald Acuña Jr., OF, Braves -- 3,082,600 votes
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 don't carry over.
The All-Star starters will be revealed on June 29 at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN.
Here are all the players who advanced to Phase 2 of the All-Star voting at each position in the AL and NL. (Season stats are through end of games Sunday)
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Catchers: Adley Rutschman (Orioles), Jonah Heim (Rangers)
In his second season, Rutschman has firmly established himself as one of the top catchers in the game, and the 25-year-old could be on his way to his first All-Star Game. Rutschman is batting .265 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs and is second in the AL with 50 walks -- to only 47 strikeouts. Heim, also a potential first-time All-Star, is having a breakout offensive season to go along with his usual elite pitch-framing skills, with 10 homers and a career-best 122 OPS+.
First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays), Yandy Díaz (Rays)
Vlad Jr. is looking for his third straight All-Star selection and third straight start for the AL at first base. The 24-year-old is batting .284 with 11 homers and 49 RBIs for the Blue Jays this season. Díaz has been terrific for the MLB-best Rays, batting .316 with 12 homers, 38 RBIs and a .922 OPS. He could make the All-Star Game for the first time at age 31.
Second base: Marcus Semien (Rangers), Whit Merrifield (Blue Jays)
Semien and Corey Seager, the Rangers' two marquee signings before the 2022 season, have been a dynamic duo for the AL West leaders in 2023. The 32-year-old Semien, who's leading the AL with 62 runs scored, could be a second-time All-Star. His fellow veteran Merrifield is looking for his third All-Star nod. The 34-year-old is batting .292 with 18 stolen bases.
Third base: Josh Jung (Rangers), Matt Chapman (Blue Jays)
The 25-year-old Jung has been one of the best rookies in baseball. The Rangers' 2019 first-round Draft pick is batting .274 with 15 home runs and 44 RBIs. Chapman's hot start to 2023 could push him to his second career All-Star Game and first All-Star start. The 30-year-old has 10 home runs and an AL-high 25 doubles for Toronto.
Shortstop: Bo Bichette (Blue Jays), Corey Seager (Rangers)
Bichette could be a second-time All-Star and first-time starter. The 25-year-old is leading the American League in hits for a third straight season, with 106, while batting .318 with 14 homers. Seager has missed some time this season but has been a monster when he's in the lineup. The 29-year-old three-time All-Star is batting .349 with 10 home runs and a 1.028 OPS. Seager is looking for his second straight All-Star nod in Texas and the first All-Star start of his career.
Outfield: Aaron Judge (Yankees), Mike Trout (Angels), Randy Arozarena (Rays), Yordan Alvarez (Astros), Kevin Kiermaier (Blue Jays), Adolis García (Rangers)
Judge and Trout are right back at the top of All-Star voting. Judge could be in line for his fifth All-Star Game start and third in a row. After his historic 62-home run season, the reigning AL MVP has 19 homers, a .674 slugging percentage and a 1.078 OPS in 2023, despite missing some time due to hip and toe injuries. Trout is looking for his 11th straight All-Star nod. He's been voted in as a starter every year since 2013 and could become one of only nine players to be selected as an All-Star starter in 10 consecutive years.
Arozarena, one of MLB's most fun players to watch, could be an All-Star for the first time. The 28-year-old is batting .292 with 14 homers and 54 RBIs and leads the AL with a .405 on-base percentage. Alvarez was an All-Star in 2022 as a DH but is on the ballot as an outfielder this year. The Astros slugger is on the injured list with right oblique discomfort but still has 17 home runs, 55 RBIs and a .977 OPS. Kiermaier is a three-time Gold Glover and arguably one of the best defensive outfielders of all time, but he has never made an All-Star team. García, with 17 home runs and 60 RBIs, could get back to the All-Star Game after making it as a rookie in 2021.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Catcher: Sean Murphy (Braves), Will Smith (Dodgers)
Murphy has been a revelation in his first season in Atlanta, and the payoff could be his first career All-Star start. The 28-year-old is batting .290 with 12 homers and a .919 OPS and has been arguably the best defensive catcher in the game. Meanwhile, on a Dodgers team with superstar hitters Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts, Smith has been right up there alongside them, batting .291 with 12 homers and a .925 OPS as he also seeks to make his first All-Star Game.
First base: Freddie Freeman (Dodgers), Matt Olson (Braves)
Freeman is the same elite hitter he always is, with a .317 batting average, 14 home runs, an MLB-high 27 doubles and a .946 OPS for L.A. The six-time All-Star is looking for his seventh selection and fifth in a row, as well as his fourth start. Olson, who replaced Freeman in Atlanta, is tied for the MLB lead with 25 homers and paces the NL with 60 RBIs.
Second base: Luis Arraez (Marlins), Ozzie Albies (Braves)
Arraez's quest to hit .400 makes him a favorite for his second straight All-Star Game -- but first as an NL player -- in his debut season in Miami. His .399 batting average is the best in the Majors by far, and he also leads MLB with 111 hits. Albies, a two-time All-Star, is having a great season too, with 18 home runs and 55 RBIs.
Third base: Nolan Arenado (Cardinals), Austin Riley (Braves)
After a slow start at the plate this season, Arenado has steadily returned to the hitter we’re accustomed to seeing. He posted a .600 OPS with only two home runs through the end of April, but since May 3, he’s hitting .291/.339/.577 with 13 homers. Riley continues to help anchor the middle of the Braves’ lineup, slashing .265/.333/.440 with 13 homers.
Shortstop: Orlando Arcia (Braves), Francisco Lindor (Mets)
The 28-year-old Arcia is seeking his first All-Star selection in his eighth MLB season, and he’s making a strong case. His .318/.374/.458 slash line has him in line for a career year. Lindor, meanwhile, is eyeing his sixth All-Star appearance. At the plate, he has a .749 OPS with 15 home runs and nine steals, and he continues to give the Mets strong defense at the premium shortstop position.
DH: J.D. Martinez (Dodgers), Bryce Harper (Phillies)
Martinez looks rejuvenated with the Dodgers, as the veteran DH has 16 home runs, a .555 slugging percentage and an .856 OPS. He's seeking his fifth straight All-Star nod and the sixth of his career. Harper has been raking since he returned to the Phillies’ lineup at the beginning of May, batting .286 in 45 games. He could be an All-Star for a second straight year in Philadelphia and for the eighth time in his career.
Outfield: Mookie Betts (Dodgers), Corbin Carroll (D-backs), Lourdes Gurriel Jr. (D-backs), Michael Harris II (Braves)
There are four outfielders in the mix to earn the remaining two starting spots in the NL alongside Acuña.
The first is a perennial All-Star candidate in Betts, who's made six All-Star Games in a row and is looking for seven. Betts has 19 home runs and an .866 OPS this season. Carroll is an MVP contender -- and potential All-Star -- in his first full season. The 22-year-old is batting .290 with 16 homers, 23 steals, a .558 slugging percentage and a .927 OPS. With the surprising D-backs in first place in the NL West, Carroll's teammate Gurriel is also a finalist in the outfield and would be a first-time All-Star. Acuña's teammate Harris, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, could follow that up by also being a first-time All-Star.