Top vote-getter Acu?a to start in ASG; 6 other Braves in voting Phase 2
Mark Bowman
@mlbbowmanPHILADELPHIA -- Ronald Acuña Jr. won¡¯t be involved in Phase 2 of this year¡¯s All-Star balloting because he has already been selected to again serve as one of the National League¡¯s starting outfielders at this year¡¯s Midsummer Classic.
Acu?a received more votes than any other MLB player during Phase 1 of the balloting process, which ended Thursday afternoon. This marks the third consecutive year the Braves outfielder has garnered more votes than any other NL player. He joins Hank Aaron (1970 and ¡¯71) and Dale Murphy ('85) as the only Braves to ever garner the most votes in the balloting process.
Acu?a outpolled American League ballot leader Shohei Ohtani, 3,082,600-2,646,307. Each is guaranteed a spot in the starting lineup as the top vote-getters in their respective leagues.
This is the fourth time the 25-year-old Acu?a has been chosen to start an All-Star Game. He was one of the NL¡¯s starting outfielders in 2019 and '22 and was unable to participate in the '21 game because he tore his right ACL two days before the All-Star break.
Acu?a likely won¡¯t be the Braves¡¯ only All-Star representative this year. Catcher Sean Murphy, shortstop Orlando Arcia, first baseman Matt Olson, second baseman Ozzie Albies, third baseman Austin Riley and outfielder Michael Harris II all advanced to Phase 2 of the balloting process. Murphy and Arcia were the top vote-getters at their respective positions during Phase 1.
Starting Monday at noon ET, Phase 2 of the 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 the opportunity to vote among the finalists at each position during a brief window that concludes at noon ET June 29. Winners will be announced that night at 7 ET on ESPN.
Fans can vote once per day during this second phase, with daily voting limits resetting each day at midnight ET.
During Phase 2, vote totals will reset (i.e., vote totals from Phase 1 do not carry over) and the winner at each position (including three outfielders in the AL and two remaining outfielders in the NL) will be named a starting position player for the 2023 Midsummer Classic.