Betts, Harper, and Tatis Jr. could start at other positions
Phase 1 of MLB All-Star voting ends on Thursday, with the leading vote-getter in each league being assured of a starting spot in the Midsummer Classic. As of today, Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher/DH Shohei Ohtani (1,773,404 votes) trails Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper (2,037,523) in the National League. If Ohtani can overtake Harper, he will become the first player in MLB history to be top vote-getter in both leagues (he led American League voting last season). If Harper holds on, he will lead NL voting for the first time since 2017.
Another intriguing subplot is Mike Trout’s status. The Los Angeles Angels star leads active players with 11 All-Star selections but has missed most of the season. He has the ninth-most votes amongst outfielders (top six move to Phase 2). Recent news suggests Trout’s recovery has slowed and chances of him playing in the ASG seems unlikely. New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge continues to lead the AL voting (2,375,199).
One unique wrinkle this year is the chance at history for Harper, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, and San Diego Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. While only 13 players in ASG history have started a game in both the infield and outfield in their career, there’s a chance all three players could be added to that list. No player has ever been named starter at outfielder and shortstop, something Betts and Tatis Jr. could pull off. Harper and Betts appear to be locks to start at first base and shortstop, respectively, Tatis Jr. is fourth in outfield voting, running neck-and-neck with Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez. Phase 2 of voting begins on June 30.
