The Atlanta Braves officially have their first representative for the 2023 MLB All-Star Game. Ronald Acuña Jr was named as the first starter for the National League All-Star team since he received the most total votes in the first phase of voting. The second-most votes went to superstar Shohei Ohtani.
Acuña is having the best season of his career and looks poised to make a run at the NL MVP title. The Braves slugger is currently batting .324/.400/.552 with a .952 OPS through 74 games played. He has 97 H including 15 HR, 46 RBI, 37 BB, 45 K, and 32 SB.
Ronald Acuña Jr. locks in his spot in Seattle!
— MLB (@MLB) June 22, 2023
With the most total votes in Phase 1, Acuña Jr. automatically qualifies as an #AllStarGame starter. pic.twitter.com/rfwFzZ6yp2
He is on track to achieve at least 30 home runs and 60 stolen bases this season. With his stolen base total already halfway toward sixty, it's almost certainly guaranteed. He's also halfway to thirty homers and I don't see any reason why he wouldn't reach that goal before the season ends.
Phase two of All-Star voting begins on Monday and there are six Atlanta Braves players vying for a spot on the roster. The finalists include Sean Murphy, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Austin Riley, Orlando Arcia, and Michael Harris II.
The last voting update showed Murphy and Arcia as the top vote-getters at their respective positions. There's not much reason to believe this will change as both players have been performing exceptionally well in 2023 and show no signs of slowing down.
While fans don't vote for pitchers, Bryce Elder could also find himself representing Atlanta in Seattle this Summer. He put on yet another impressive pitching display on Thursday afternoon in Philadelphia with 7 scoreless innings.
Brian Snitker on whether #Braves pitcher Bryce Elder deserves to make the All-Star team: "Absolutely. He sure does. What he’s done, the body of work, he absolutely should get an All-Star nod.”
— David O'Brien (@DOBrienATL) June 22, 2023
Brian Snitker said after the game that he doesn't see any reason why Elder doesn't make the All-Star team. The way he's pitched this year has been a nice surprise for Braves fans. The starting rotation suits him well and he deserves an opportunity to showcase that talent on a National level.
There is no shortage of talent on this Atlanta Braves squad and it's obvious with the number of finalists represented on the ballot. It would be incredible to see any of them represent Atlanta in Seattle this July.