Shohei Ohtani, Ernie Clement named All-Star starters as top vote-getters

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and Toronto Blue Jays second baseman Ernie Clement finished Phase 1 of Major League Baseball’s All-Star fan voting atop their respective leagues, making them automatic starters for the Midsummer Classic.

Ohtani will start at designated hitter for the National League team. With 3,341,257 total votes in the first phase, he led the major leagues in voting for the first time.

Clement was the surprise votes leader out of the American League at 3,232,932. He’ll be the AL’s starting second baseman for the game July 14 in Philadelphia.

MLB released the results of Phase 1 of voting on Thursday. Now, the top two vote-getters per position in each league advance to Phase 2 to determine the rest of the All-Star Game starters, with the exception of the NL’s DHs and the AL’s second basemen. For outfielders, six finalists advance per league to be whittled down to three starters

Phase 2 takes place between June 29 and July 2 before the All-Star starters and reserves are revealed the night of July 4 on Fox.

Ohtani, 31, will be an All-Star for the sixth straight year. The four-time MVP also pitched in the 2021 and 2024 All-Star Games. Ohtani is batting .295 with a .963 OPS in 73 games this season, recording 17 homers and 46 RBIs thus far. On the mound, he’s 8-2 with a 1.58 ERA that would mark a career low by far.

Clement, 30, is a first-time All-Star. He is batting .292 with seven home runs, an AL-leading 20 doubles and 28 RBIs through 77 games. He broke out last postseason, when he batted .411 over 18 playoff games as Toronto made a run to the World Series before losing to Ohtani’s Dodgers.

The Blue Jays have a finalist at every position, including two of the six outfielders, Daulton Varsho and Jesus Sanchez.

Below are the finalists at other positions. Vote totals do not carry over from Phase 1 to Phase 2.

American League

–Catcher: Shea Langeliers, Athletics; Alejandro Kirk, Blue Jays

–First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays; Ben Rice, Yankees

–Third base: Kazuma Okamoto, Blue Jays; Junior Caminero, Rays

–Shortstop: Bobby Witt Jr., Royals; Andres Gimenez, Blue Jays

–Designated hitter: Yordan Alvarez, Astros; George Springer, Blue Jays

–Outfielder: Aaron Judge, Yankees; Mike Trout, Angels; Byron Buxton, Twins; Cody Bellinger, Yankees; Daulton Varsho, Blue Jays; Jesus Sanchez, Blue Jays

National League

–Catcher: Drake Baldwin, Braves; Will Smith, Dodgers

–First base: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers; Matt Olson, Braves

–Second base: Ozzie Albies, Braves; Bryson Stott, Phillies

–Third base: Max Muncy, Dodgers; Alec Bohm, Phillies

–Shortstop: CJ Abrams, Nationals; Mookie Betts, Dodgers

–Outfielder: Andy Pages, Dodgers; Brandon Marsh, Phillies; Ronald Acuna Jr., Braves; Teoscar Hernandez, Dodgers; Juan Soto, Mets; Michael Harris II, Braves

–Field Level Media