With Phase 2 voting closed, Ernie Clement and Shohei Ohtani emerge as early favorites for 2026 All-Star starters in Philadelphia

Major League Baseball’s 2026 All-Star Game in Philadelphia is now one step closer to becoming official, with fan voting closed in Phase 2 of the process that selects the Midsummer Classic starters. As the league prepares for the July 14 exhibition at Citizens Bank Park, the outcome of this stage effectively narrows each position to a set of finalists, based on how votes from Phase 1 advanced into Phase 2.

Following the Phase 2 format, two finalists were presented at each position (with six outfielders among the early position mix) and the vote totals from Phase 1 determined who moved forward. MLB’s approach keeps the early fan vote meaningful while still leaving enough room for late movement as the process reaches its final steps for starter announcements.

In the American League, CBS Sports’ lineup projection identifies the top vote-getter as the likely starter at second base. Ernie Clement of the Toronto Blue Jays is projected to start at second base, with CBS citing that he led all American League players in Phase 1 voting to earn the starting nod opportunity in what would be his first All-Star Game.

On the National League side, CBS projects Shohei Ohtani to start at designated hitter, describing him as the top vote-getter in the league who advanced without a listed challenger in the Phase 2 setup. Ohtani’s projected DH role would mirror how the voting system can reward the league-wide leader when there is no second finalist to oppose him for the spot.

The projection work also highlights that Phase 2 does not fully determine the “final” lineup on its own. CBS noted that the eventual on-field lineup is not fully known until closer to the game, because the official starters are announced later and can be affected by late-season circumstances. In its projections, CBS specifically pointed to how injuries could reshape at least some starting roles, including the need to replace an expected starter if a player is unable to participate.

Beyond the stars, the Blue Jays also remain a storyline within the balloting numbers. CBS described how Toronto’s fan base support appears to have been unusually strong coming out of Phase 1, with multiple Blue Jays showing up across key position categories heading into Phase 2. The article also framed the possibility of backlash in later rounds, suggesting that other fan bases might counteract an initial surge by voting for non-Toronto options when given the chance.

With Philadelphia set to host baseball’s midseason showcase, the remaining question is not whether the voting winners will matter, but how the final starters will line up once the last announcements are made. The league will still require confirmation of the official starting lineups, while observers will watch which positional races end up decided by the voting framework and which end up shaped by late availability.

The next meaningful checkpoint is the official starter announcement timing for the July 14 game, after which the exhibition lineup picture will be much clearer. Even then, the full All-Star rosters will extend beyond these starters, meaning late surprises are still possible as pitchers and reserves are finalized.