Context:

Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers and Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees have been elected as starters for the July 15 All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta, following a fan voting process. Judge led the voting with over 4 million votes, marking his seventh selection as an American League starter, despite missing the 2023 game due to a toe injury. Ohtani, receiving nearly 4 million votes, will start as a designated hitter for the fifth consecutive time, a first in the league's history. The selection process began with an online fan vote from June 4 to June 29, determining the top vote-getter in each league as starters, while other positions will proceed to a second voting phase. The announcement of remaining starters is set for July 2, with pitchers and reserves being revealed on July 6.

Dive Deeper:

• Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge have been chosen as starters for the MLB All-Star Game, topping the fan vote for their respective leagues with Ohtani receiving 3,967,668 votes and Judge receiving 4,012,983 votes, the highest in the major leagues.

• Aaron Judge, who has been elected for the seventh time as an American League starter, led the voting process despite missing the 2023 game due to a sprained right big toe, a testament to his enduring popularity and performance.

• Shohei Ohtani's achievement marks an unprecedented fifth consecutive start as a designated hitter in the All-Star Game, underscoring his exceptional talent and the fans' strong support.

• The voting process for the All-Star Game involved two phases, with the first phase determining the top vote-getters in each league who automatically start, while the second phase, starting soon, will finalize other starting positions.

• Votes from the first phase do not carry over to the second, allowing fans to vote once every 24 hours, ensuring an engaging and dynamic selection process that concludes with the announcement of starters on July 2 and pitchers and reserves on July 6.

• The selection criteria, established in 2022, aim to enhance fan engagement by giving them a decisive role in choosing starters while maintaining a competitive spirit through a structured voting approach.

• Finalists for each position across the American and National Leagues have been announced, with notable players such as Mookie Betts, Francisco Lindor, and Mike Trout among those advancing to the second voting phase.