Ohtani eyes first MLB All-Star top vote, Korean players rank lower

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani is on the verge of achieving a career first: leading the Major League Baseball All-Star vote.

As of the second interim tally released by MLB on June 23 (KST), Ohtani had garnered 2,310,735 votes for the National League designated hitter position, placing him at the top of the overall MLB vote. Since his MLB debut in 2018, Ohtani has been selected to the All-Star team for five consecutive years, from 2021 to the present. This year, he is poised to become the top vote-getter for the first time.

Ohtani is excelling in both hitting and pitching this season. As a hitter, he has played in 74 games with a .297 batting average, 16 home runs, 43 RBIs, 53 runs scored, and 6 stolen bases, boasting an OPS of 0.969. On the mound, he has a 7-2 record with a 1.47 ERA in 12 starts.

Meanwhile, other Korean players are also on the ballot. Kim Ha-seong, who was recently moved to Triple-A, has received 659,500 votes, making him the highest-voted Korean player. He currently ranks fourth in the NL second base category. Kim Ha-seong, struggling with his batting this season, has garnered 253,376 votes and sits sixth in the NL shortstop category. Lee Jung-hoo, who is second in the MLB batting average rankings, has received 317,862 votes and is 19th among NL outfielders.

The MLB All-Star voting process involves two stages. The first phase concludes on June 26 at 1 AM KST. The top vote-getters in each league will automatically secure a starting spot in the All-Star Game without needing to participate in the second round. The top two players (or six outfielders) in each position from the first vote will advance to the second round of voting. The final selections will be announced later. This year's All-Star Game is scheduled for July 15 at Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.