Ronald Acuna Jr. is a leading candidate for National League MVP honors and after leading all players in total votes in the first round of All-Star voting, he will be headed to his fourth All-Star Game as a starting outfielder, and there is a good chance he will be joined by some of his Atlanta Braves teammates in the starting lineup.
The first phase of voting narrows each position to two finalists, with the recipient with the most votes in each league rewarded as the automatic starter at his position. Acuna earned 3,082,600 votes to lead all players while Los Angeles Angels Shohei Ohtani led all American League players with 2,646,307 votes and will start at designated hitter for the third straight season.
The Braves, owners of the best record in the NL, topped all teams with seven finalists, including Acuna. Catcher Sean Murphy and shortstop Orlando Arcia led their positions in voting while first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and outfielder Michael Harris II also advanced to the second phase of voting.
The Texas Rangers and Toronto Blue Jays both have five finalists in the AL.
The second phase to determine the remaining 16 positional starters for the July 11 contest in Seattle will run from noon ET on Monday through noon ET on Thursday, June 29. Vote totals from the first phase do not carry over and fans will be allowed to vote just once per 24-hour period.
Acuna, who is 100% recovered from the 2021 knee injury that also hampered him last season, is hitting .327/.403/.558 with 15 home runs, 46 RBIs and 31 stolen bases, leading the NL in runs, steals and total bases.
Ohtani has been on an offensive tear, hitting the cover off the ball as of late, is hitting .292 and leads the majors with 24 home runs and a .993 OPS. Oh, and he is 6-3 with a 3.13 ERA with 117 strikeouts in 89 innings as a pitcher, which leads the majors.
Arcia was the surprise voting leader among NL shortstops. After Dansby Swanson signed with the Chicago Cubs as a free agent, Vaughn Grissom was expected to take over at shortstop, but veteran Arcia won the job out of spring training and is hitting .341/.400/.489 with six home runs and 25 RBIs in 52 games.
With past All-Stars like Trea Turner and Xander Bogaerts having less than ideal seasons in their new homes in Philadelphia and San Diego, respectively, Arcia and Francisco Lindor of the New York Mets are the NL shortstop finalists. Arizona Diamondbacks rookie outfielder Corbin Carroll, who is knotted with Acuna among all MLB position players in FanGraphs WAR, is also a finalist. Carroll is looking to make history, becoming the first Diamondbacks rookie position player to make the All-Star team.
In the AL, Mike Trout is an outfield finalist and looking to earn his 10th consecutive selection as a starter via fan voting, although he missed the 2021 and 2022 games due to injuries. The most interesting race could come at shortstop, where the Toronto Blue Jays’ Bo Bichette is hitting .317 with 14 home runs and 101 hits while the Texas Rangers’ Corey Seager, after missing three weeks with a hamstring injury, is hitting .345 with 45 RBIs in 43 games.
National League finalists:
Catcher: Murphy, Braves; Will Smith, Dodgers First base: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers; Olson, Braves Second base: Luis Arraez, Marlins; Albies, Braves Third base: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals; Riley, Braves Shortstop: Arcia, Braves; Lindor, Mets Outfield: Mookie Betts, Dodgers; Carroll, Diamondbacks; Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Diamondbacks; Harris II, Braves DH: J.D. Martinez, Dodgers; Bryce Harper, Phillies
American League finalists:
Catcher: Adley Rutschman, Orioles; Jonah Heim, Rangers First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays; Yandy Diaz, Rays Second base: Marcus Semien, Rangers; Whit Merrifield, Blue Jays Third base: Josh Jung, Rangers; Matt Chapman, Blue Jays Shortstop: Bichette, Blue Jays; Seager, Rangers Outfield: Aaron Judge, Yankees; Trout, Angels; Randy Arozarena, Rays; Yordan Alvarez, Astros; Kevin Kiermaier, Blue Jays; Adolis Garcia, Rangers
