Fan voting to select players to participate in the Major League Baseball All-Star Game next month began on the 9th of Japan time, and Angels Shohei Ohtani was nominated for the American League's designated hitter category.
In the Major League Baseball All-Star Game, the starting fielders are supposed to be selected by fan voting, and acceptance began on the 9th of Japan time on the official website of the Major League Baseball.
One person from all 30 teams is listed as a candidate for each position, and among Japanese players, Angels Otani, who has marked 11 home runs so far, has been nominated in the American League designated hitter category, and also in the National League. Then, Seiya Suzuki of Cubs was nominated in the outfielder category, and Yoshitomo Tsutsugo of Pirates was nominated in the designated hitter category.
Voting via the Internet will take place in two stages, with the first voting being held until July 1st, Japan time.
The rules have changed this season, and the player who got the most votes in the league in the first vote will be decided to participate in the All-Star Game without waiting for the final vote.
After that, in the final vote held from July 6th to 9th, the top 2 players in each remaining position and the top 6 outfielders advanced, and the top 3 players in each position and the top 3 outfielders. Will start in the all-star game.
The final vote will be held without carrying over the result of the first vote.
The pitcher will be selected by inter-player voting, etc., and all players will be available on July 11th, Japan time, along with the remaining fielders selected by non-fan voting.
This year's All-Star game will take place on July 20th, Japan time, at the Dodgers' home in Los Angeles.
First appearance in the historic dual wield of throwing last season
In last season's All-Star Game, Otani won the first place in the American League's designated hitter category, and was also selected as a pitcher in the inter-player voting, making his first appearance in the All-Star Game with the historic dual wield. ..
In addition, Padres' Yu Darvish pitcher was voted among the players, and Mariners pitcher Yusei Kikuchi was elected by the Major League Baseball.
Fan voting Otani's rivals
Otani has a batting average of 20%, 4 minutes, 2 home runs, 11 home runs, 32 RBIs, and 7 stolen bases as a batter this season. He has 17 RBIs and 44 RBIs, and has dropped the number this season.
In the American League's designated hitter category this year, two players who competed for participation last season are likely to be rivals for Otani's fan voting.
The first is Astros' Alvarez player, who has a batting average of 20%, 9 minutes and 9 RBIs, and has a home run of 17 RBIs and 38 RBIs in 2nd place in the league.
Both are better than Otani's results.
The other is JD Martinez of the Red Sox, who has a batting average of 30%, 5 minutes, 3 RBIs, 5 home runs, and 23 RBIs in 3rd place in the league.
Last season, these three players became the top three in the first vote and advanced to the final vote, and Otani became the top by a large margin, but this season is also likely to be a strong rival.