The Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani has once again stamped his name in the history books, earning a starting spot as the National League's designated hitter in the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. The announcement came Thursday after Phase 1 of fan voting concluded, with Ohtani receiving 3,967,668 votes, the highest in the National League and second-most overall behind New York Yankees slugger Aaron Judge, who topped all players with 4,012,983 votes, via MLB and Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times.

Ohtani's selection was his fifth consecutive All-Star appearance and fifth straight start, a record for a designated hitter. Under MLB rules introduced in 2022, the top vote-getter in each league during the first phase of fan balloting is granted an automatic starting spot in the Midsummer Classic. Ohtani, alongside Judge, bypassed Phase 2 of voting and was directly named to the All-Star lineup.

While fans might have speculated about the possibility of seeing Ohtani pitch in Atlanta’s Truist Park on July 16, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who will also manage the National League All-Star team, shut down the notion early in the week with a definitive “No.” Ohtani made his return to the mound for the Dodgers last week and is scheduled to make his third start on Saturday in Kansas City, but his role in the All-Star Game will remain solely as a hitter.

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Roberts praised Ohtani’s impact, stating (via Sonja Chen of MLB.com), “The fans love him. He’s the best player. It’s going to be exciting for the fans to watch him in Atlanta for the All-Star Game.”

Ohtani’s performance in the first half of the 2025 season solidified his All-Star status. He leads the National League with 27 home runs, boasts a 1.017 OPS, and owns an OPS+ of 183. His offensive dominance is further reflected in his 79 runs scored, the highest in Major League Baseball as of Thursday.

In addition to Ohtani, the Dodgers are strongly represented among All-Star finalists at nearly every position. Will Smith (catcher), Freddie Freeman (first base), Tommy Edman (second base), Mookie Betts (shortstop), Max Muncy (third base), and outfielders Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages all advanced to Phase 2 of voting. Final lineups will be announced July 2 on ESPN at 4 p.m. PT, while pitchers and reserves will be unveiled on July 6.

The fan voting process began on June 4 and allowed one vote per individual every 24 hours. Shohei Ohtani’s continued dominance and popularity reflect both his elite production and enduring fan appeal. While he may not be on the mound, the Dodgers' two-way phenom remains a centerpiece of the 2025 All-Star Game, and perhaps its biggest attraction.