Braves News: Acuna Jr., Murphy, and Arcia among early All-Star Game vote leaders
We are firmly in All-Star Game vote season and this is the time of year where Atlanta Braves fans typically show out in a big way. In years past, we have seen Braves fans come out in droves to make sure that the team is very well-represented in the All-Star Game.
This year is seemingly no different as the first update on vote totals was released today by MLB and to the surprise of exactly no one, the Braves have several players among the leaders at each position.
Ronald Acuña Jr. of the @Braves & Shohei Ohtani of the @Angels are leading their respective leagues in the first balloting update for the 2023 ASG. The Scotts MLB All-Star Ballot is available now at https://t.co/QeTzbefggW, all 30 Club sites, the MLB App and the MLB Ballpark App. pic.twitter.com/DJFvIN5qGw
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) June 12, 2023
Ronald Acuna Jr. is the leading overall vote leader over Shohei Ohtani as of now with 1,086,537 votes which is more than the other two outfielders on the list (Mookie Betts and Lourdes Gurriel Jr.) combined. He is pretty much a mortal lock for a starting outfield spot yet again and seems like a heavy favorite to lead the entire vote when it is all said and done.
Sean Murphy is deservedly leading amongst National League catchers with north of 600K votes as of now. No one in the National League is remotely close to him among catchers in total production, so he is another heavy favorite. Fun fact: based on merit, old friend William Contreras (now with the Brewers) SHOULD be on the ASG roster as a reserve for the NL.
Finally, in a surprise twist, Orlando Arcia is leading at shortstop with over 406K votes. Arcia's statistical case is a little trickier as there are a few guys in the NL by fWAR that have been better (including former Braves shortstop Dansby Swanson), but his rate stats have been very good and he still has a case despite the time he missed earlier in the season. Plus there is the whole "the Braves fan base will always turn out to vote" advantage that should help his cause.
Names of note that aren't currently leading include Matt Olson, Austin Riley, and Ozzie Albies and they all have some really stiff competition at their respective positions. Freddie Freeman has put up some gaudy numbers for LA and the 1B votes show it, Luis Arraez is chasing a .400 season at second base although whether or not the Braves fan base can overcome that is a real debate, and Nolan Arenado has been pretty good and Riley's slow start to the season hasn't helped his cause.