Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani earned his spot on the National League All-Star team as the starting designated hitter.
Ohtani received the most votes of any player in MLB for the first time in his career, meaning he automatically secures his spot as a starter for the NL. On the other side of the league, Ernie Clement earned a spot as the AL’s starting second baseman as their leader in votes.
The reigning MVP led the league in votes in both of the Phase 1 polls released by MLB, recording 1,165,133 votes by the first update and doubling that number by the second. This year’s Midsummer Classic in Philadelphia will mark Ohtani’s sixth consecutive All-Star appearance as a starter, as well as his third as a Dodger.
What Has Shohei Ohtani Accomplished This Season?
Ohtani is basically a lock to make the All-Star Game every season, but he has outdone himself with his two-way performance so far this year.
He has a .963 OPS this season, hitting 17 homers and driving in 46 runs, which are more or less the numbers fans have come to expect from him. The outlandish part about this season compared to seasons past is the quality he has displayed on the mound.
This season, Ohtani has a 1.58 ERA and a 8-2 record on the mound, posting 86 strikeouts through his 13 starts on the year. He is well on pace to have the best pitching season of his career, and would be a clear front runner for his first Cy Young award in a less competitive field.
Are There Other Dodgers Starting the All-Star Game?
Among the other positions, the Dodgers have plenty of players in contention to start the All-Star Game. Freddie Freeman, Mookie Betts, Max Muncy, Will Smith, Andy Pages and Teoscar Hernandez all advanced to Phase 2 of All-Star voting.
The second phase of All-Star voting consists of just two players from every position, with the exception of the outfield, which sees six players advance. The Dodgers’ advancing players will have to win the second round of voting to claim their spot as an All-Star Game starter.
Which Dodgers do you think will start the All-Star Game?
