Undoubtedly, Shohei Ohtani has dominated the realm of baseball. Already a superstar in Japan, the 28-year-old has also achieved icon status in the USA. Critics and MLB analysts call him the best baseball player, someone who has even surpassed the 2x All-Star Babe Ruth. Currently leading the MLB home run chart at 24, Ohtani has quickly become a fan favorite.

With his skills on the diamond, the Japanese two-way phenom has carried the Los Angeles Angels’ name to newer heights. But another thing that skyrocketed his reputation is endorsements, allowing him an income of more than $20 million. Breaking records has become an almost daily occurrence, and seeing Ohtani’s face in commercials doesn’t hurt his reputation either. So is it any wonder the Japanese player also leads the MLB chart in All-Star votes?

Shohei Ohtani formally sends his gratitude for his third consecutive All-Star selection

While consecutive All-Star selection leaders rank in double digits, Shohei Ohtani’s young career could lead him on that list. 2023 may only be his third successive selection, but 2,646,307 votes bring him ahead of Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette at 2.1 million votes. Ohtani gets to bypass Phase 2 of the 2023 Scotts MLB All-Star Ballot since he leads the Phase 1 vote. He will start as the AL designated hitter for the Midsummer Classic at T-Mobile Park in Seattle on July 11.

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The Japanese player gave thanks to his fans, telling them this selection only gave him more motivation to work harder.“I would like to thank all the fans that voted for me, this is a huge honor,” read his statement. “I will use this as motivation and will continue to give it my all on the field.”

While not overly active on social media, Ohtani also posted a token of thanks on his Instagram. Currently, he is the most followed MLB player after a stunning World Baseball Classic 2023 performance. And while his popularity will skyrocket more and more, the NL vote leader, Ronald Acuna Jr., is also making some noise with his play.

Is Ronald Acuna Jr. more popular than Ohtani?

Both players made their MLB debut in the same year – 2018. And yet, this is the Atlanta Braves’ player’s fourth year while the Angels pitcher follows a year behind. Not only that, but Acuna tallied significantly more votes than Ohtani at 3,082,600. He’s undoubtedly a phenomenal player who has numerous times helped the Braves out of a sitch.

But this begs the question – is Acuna more popular than the current baseball sensation? The 2023 All-Star Game is undoubtedly going to be an exciting one.

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