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Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr. are MLB's leading All-Star vote getters after the first tally. Both players are having incredible seasons and are more than deserving of having the most votes in their respective leagues. However, fans were surprised to learn that Acuna Jr. actually has received more votes than Ohtani.
Shoehi Ohtani has become the face of baseball due to how unique his skillset is, so many expected him to dominate this vote. It speaks to how great of a season Ronald Acuna Jr. is having with 13 home runs and an incredible batting average of .331. He has been a star in the league since he was Rookie of the Year in 2018, and he is still getting his flowers.
MLB announced the vote totals and respective leaders for National and American Leagues on Twitter.
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Acuna Jr. has been a stellar player for the Atlanta Braves for a while now, but having more votes than Ohtani could be his most imprssive feat. It could be tied to his recent performance on Team Venezuala in the World Baseball Classic. While Ohtani also played in that tournament, his international fanbase was probably already fully established.
The Los Angeles Angels continue their reign of having top players in the National League while not finding success in the win column. Shohei Ohtani is one the most talented players in baseball today. This vote proves his fanbase is alive and well, despite never seeing him in the playoffs.
Braves fans are thrilled to see Ronald Acuna Jr. get this kind of recognition after he tore his ACL in 2021. He played 119 games in 2022 after missing the start of the season, but many felt he was not 100% healthy. Now, there can be no doubt that he is at the height of his powers on the field.
All-Star voting still has a lot of time left, but Ohtani not being in first place the whole way through comes as something of a shock.
Could Ronald Acuna Jr. and Shohei Ohtani be teammates in 2024?
The impending free agency of Ohtani is one of the most talked about topics in sports, and the Braves could be a destination. By all acocunts, Shohei Ohtani cares about one thing more than all else: winning.
As we have all seen, the Braves know how to win, in the short-term and the long-term. If they pair Shohei Ohtani and Ronald Acuna Jr., it is hard to imagine them losing at all.
