Shohei Ohtani is going to the All-Star Game again. That’s not the news. The news is he’s doing it with a record that used to belong to David Ortiz.
MLB announced Monday that Ohtani won Phase 1 of fan voting for the National League, earning the starting designated hitter spot for the 2026 Midsummer Classic. It’s his sixth start at DH in the All-Star Game, breaking a tie with Ortiz for the most ever at that position. Ortiz had five. Ohtani now has six.
The voting wasn’t close. Ohtani led the majors with 3,341,257 votes, which automatically locks him into the NL starting lineup. It’s the first time in his career he’s been the overall leader in All-Star voting. For a guy who’s been the most watched player in baseball for years, that’s a surprising little stat.
Ohtani has now made six straight All-Star teams. He’s also got four unanimous MVP awards. The guy is building a resume that’s getting harder to compare to anyone.
How He Earned It
The 2026 season started slow for Ohtani at the plate. But he’s been on fire since. He’s slashing .295/.414/.549 with a .963 OPS and a team-high 17 home runs for the Dodgers. Not bad for a guy who also pitches.
On the mound, his ERA sits at 1.58 over 50-plus innings, second best in baseball among pitchers who’ve thrown that much. That two-way production is why he’s still the face of the sport, even with all the big names around him.
The DH nod doesn’t guarantee he’ll pitch in the game though. Ohtani could still get a two-way selection through the player ballot or by commissioner’s choice. But that’s not automatic.
Dodgers Could Flood the Lineup
The All-Star Game is July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Ohtani might bring some company. Seven other Dodgers advanced to Phase 2 of fan voting. Los Angeles could end up stacking the NL starting lineup.
According to MLB stats researcher Sarah Langs, the record Ohtani grabbed from Ortiz is one those baseball history nerds will talk about for a while. Ortiz was the gold standard for DHs. Ohtani just took his spot.
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