PHILADELPHIA — Ronald Acuna Jr. will not be involved in Round 2 of this year’s All-Star voting because he has already been selected as one of the National League’s starters again this year in the Midsummer Classic.
Acuna received more votes than any other MLB player during Phase 1 of the voting process, which ended Thursday afternoon. This marks the third year in a row that a Braves outfielder has received more votes than any other NL player. He joins Hank Aaron (1970 and ’71) and Dale Murphy (’85) as the only Braves players to receive the most votes in the voting process.
Acuna edged American League poll leader Shohei Ohtani 3,082,600-2,646,307. Each is guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup as the top vote-getter in their respective leagues.
This is the fourth time the 25-year-old Acuna has been selected to start the All-Star Game. He was one of the NL’s starting pitchers in 2019 and ’22, and missed the ’21 game after he tore his right ACL two days before the All-Star break.
Acuna won’t be the Braves’ only All-Star representative this year. Catcher Sean Murphy, shortstop Orlando Arcia, first baseman Matt Olsen, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and outfielder Michael Harris II all advanced to Phase 2 of the voting process. Murphy and Arcia were the top vote-getters in their respective positions during the first phase.
Beginning at noon ET on Monday, Phase 2 of voting will be available exclusively online and via mobile devices at MLB.com/vote, all 30 club websites, the MLB App and the MLB Ballpark App. It will give fans a chance to vote among the finalists at each level during a brief window that ends June 29 at noon ET. Winners will be announced that night at 7pm ET on ESPN.
Fans can vote once per day during this second phase, with daily voting limits reset at midnight ET each day.
During Phase 2, the vote totals are reset (ie, the vote totals from Phase 1 do not carry over) and the winner of each position (including the three outfielders in the AL and the remaining two outfielders in the NL) is named the starting pitcher. 2023 Midsummer Classic.