Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Is Leading the AL Vote, and Honestly, Nobody Should Be Okay With It

Alright, Emerald City, can we just talk for a second about what’s happening with these MLB All-Star fan voting results? Seriously, it's June 17th, 2026, and the early returns are already making my blood pressure rise. We all know the All-Star Game is a popularity contest, but sometimes, the fans just go completely off the rails, and we're seeing some wild stuff right now that makes you question everything. Get ready, because what's happening at first base in the American League is just… not right.

The AL Ballot Is a Mess, Starting With Vlad Jr.

Let’s dive into the American League, where things are getting a little goofy. At catcher, Shea Langeliers of the A's is absolutely crushing the vote, leading the next guy by over 400,000 votes. And honestly, he deserves it, he’s been the best in the AL so far. Dillon Dingler from the Tigers has had a great first half too, so that's all good. But then you get to first base, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. of the Blue Jays is leading Ben Rice of the Yankees by about 90,000 votes. The source even says Vlad Jr. is having a "disappointing first half"! Yet, fans are stuffing the ballot box for him? Rice and Nick Kurtz of the A's are the most deserving, but Kurtz is way down, trailing Guerrero by 330,000 votes. What are Blue Jays fans doing? They're voting like Braves fans, which is to say, with blind loyalty over actual performance. And it doesn't stop there. Ernie Clement, also a Blue Jay, is somehow leading Ezequiel Duran of the Rangers at second base by over 600,000 votes. Yes, that pair might make for an "appropriate final vote" according to the stats, but the margins are insane. Bobby Witt Jr. of the Royals is rightly running away with shortstop, which is a relief. At third, Junior Caminero of the Rays and rookie Japanese import Kazuma Okamoto of the Blue Jays are 1-2. But Miguel Vargas from the White Sox deserves a shot, he’s got to overcome a 23

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0,000-vote deficit. Come on, Chicago fans, get it together! Yordan Alvarez for the Astros is a righteous leader at DH, and Yandy Díaz of the Rays is close to taking George Springer’s spot, which would be a righteous final. In the outfield, injured Aaron Judge and a revitalized Mike Trout are way out in front. Cody Bellinger is ahead of Byron Buxton, and while Bellinger isn’t undeserving, Buxton absolutely deserves more recognition.

The National League Has Its Own Head-Scratchers

Over in the National League, it's a mixed bag. Drake Baldwin of the Braves is leading at catcher and has been the best player at his position, despite missing time. Freddie Freeman is ahead of Matt Olson at first, and while Olson has been the *best* so far, Freeman is a solid second, so that's okay. Ozzie Albies of the Braves is leading at second, but guys like Brice Turang and rookie JJ Wetherholt have actually been better, though the margins are tight. At shortstop, CJ Abrams of the Nationals is leading and is legitimately the best. Max Muncy is crushing it at the ballot box and on the field at third, he’s 100% the best. And Shohei Ohtani leads at DH, deservedly so. But the real travesty, my friends, is the NL outfield. Andy Páges, Ronald Acuña, and Brandon Marsh are currently 1-2-3 in the voting. Yet, the best performers by Fangraphs WAR are Pete Crow-Armstrong, James Wood, and Corbin Carroll. None of those guys are even in the top seven! Wood is the closest, but still 230,000 votes behind third place. The source says we should expect "little justice" here before voting ends June 25th, and honestly, that’s just frustrating. We need to remember that this isn't just about popularity. It's about recognizing the guys who are absolutely tearing it up on the field right now. Meanwhile, our M's just handled their business, beating the Orioles 3-1. That’s what we love to see! Let's hope our guys keep grinding, because that's the real show we're here for. Next up, we keep fighting, because every game matters!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.