MLB insider stunned to see Shohei Ohtani drop to No. 2 in All-Star Game vote
Two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani is on the path to being selected to his third consecutive All-Star Game. The news comes as no surprise to baseball fans around the globe.
Ohtani has already racked up six wins and has held opposing hitters to an MLB-best .178 average. He ranks third in the majors in strikeouts (105) and 10th in WHIP (1.05). Those are impressive numbers especially considering that is just what he has acheived on the mound.
On the offensive front, he currently ranks first in the MLB rankings home runs (22, tied with Pete Alonso) and OPS (1.006). He ranks fourth in RBIs (54) and seventh in hits (81).
Ohtani is a shoo-in for the All-Star Game and the only question now is why he hasn't finished higher in the voting. According to a recent Sports Illustrated article, one MLB insider was stunned to see Ohtani is second place after the first round of votes:
"Not only do we talk about Ohtani seemingly every hour of every day, but you would think he would be especially dominating the international vote."
Ronaldo Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves finished in first place with 1,086,537 votes. Ohtani came in second with 924,182 edging out Aaron Judge who broke the 800,000 mark.
The All-Star Game voting totals at each position so far https://t.co/N4AFMfP94F
"The All-Star Game voting totals at each position so far" - Talkin' Baseball
The Shohei Ohtani versus Ronald Acuna Jr. comparison is an interesting one that shows what these players offer to their teams.
Acuna ranks first in the National League in runs (61) and stolen bases (30). He is currently second in batting average (.327), OPS (.970) and hits (92).
Both player are off to phenomenal starts to the season and are the front runners for the NL and AL MVP.
Shohei Ohtani was named AP Male Athlete of the Year in 2021
It is hard to measure Shohei Ohtani's impact since he arrived in the United States in 2018. The unique skillset along with his amiable personality have helped grow the game on the international stage.
@AP_SportsShohei Ohtani is the AP's Male Athlete of the Year for 2021. 🔥 @AP_Sports https://t.co/AZuH47P1b7
"Shohei Ohtani is the AP's Male Athlete of the Year for 2021. @AP_Sports" - Codify
He was a member of the Japanese team that won a record third World Baseball Classic championship in 2023. He was named the tournament MVP after guiding his team to a finals victory over team USA.
Ohtani was also named the AP Athlete of the Year in 2021 after winning the AL MVP that season.