Ernie Clement Snags AL All-Star Lead and Nobody Saw THIS Coming

Alright, Seattle, buckle up! The latest MLB All-Star ballot update just dropped, and there are some absolute shockers coming out of the American League. While Shohei Ohtani is still doing Shohei Ohtani things, absolutely crushing it in the NL with over 2.3 million votes and looking like he’ll be the first two-way superstar to lead MLB in overall voting, the AL race got flipped on its head! Your new American League leading vote-getter? None other than the Blue Jays' Ernie Clement. Seriously, who saw that coming?!

AL Shocks and Surprises

Remember how Clement was only fourth in the AL in the first update? Well, he just steamrolled past big names like Mike Trout, Aaron Judge, and Yordan Alvarez to claim the top spot with over 2 million votes. That’s a lead of almost 80,000 over Alvarez with Phase 1 voting wrapping up this Thursday. Clement isn't just leading, he's leading by a MILE. His lead is the biggest of any player at any position across both leagues, and he's batting a solid .292 while tying for the AL lead with 20 doubles. It's wild! Meanwhile, down at first base, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is somehow leading his position despite only having four homers this season. FOUR! Ben Rice, who is in second place, has 22 dingers, and other guys like Munetaka Murakami, Nick Kurtz, and Pete Alo

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

nso all have at least 18. It just goes to show you how much fan power there is. Over at shortstop, Bobby Witt Jr. is crushing it with 28 stolen bases and a 4.4 FanGraphs WAR, but a recent right knee sprain has his status a little up in the air. We're hoping he's alright!

Tight Races and Our Own Stars

The closest race in all of baseball is happening at AL Third Base, where the Rays' Junior Caminero, a 22-year-old phenom with 15 homers and a killer .280/.373/.484 slash line, is trying to start his second straight All-Star Game. He’s got just under a 28,000-vote lead over the Blue Jays' Kazuma Okamoto, who’s got 16 homers of his own. That's a photo finish if I ever saw one! And speaking of our guys, you know our center field superstar, Julio Rodriguez, is right there in the mix. He's listed among the top five outfielders, so let's keep those votes coming for J-Rod! Listen, this is it, folks. Phase 1 voting ends Thursday at noon ET. If Ohtani and Clement hold onto their top spots, they automatically snag a starting lineup spot in Philly on July 14. We need to make sure our Mariners are represented! In other news, the M's just handled the Boston Red Sox, taking a 3-1 win, which is always a good vibe. Let's keep that energy going and flood the ballot box for our boys! Every vote counts, so let's show the rest of the league what Emerald City fandom is all about.

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