2024 MLB All-Star Game: Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper earn berth, Juan Soto, Bobby Witt, Alec Bohm among finalists

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge and Philadelphia Phillies first baseman Bryce Harper will be All-Star starters for their respective leagues this year. Both players earned starting assignments because each led his league in voting during Phase 1 of the process.

For Harper, this will be his eighth career All-Star selection. This season, he's batting .305/.402/.585 for the first-place Phils with 20 home runs in 75 games coming into Thursday's slate. Judge, meantime, is now an All-Star for the sixth time. So far in 2024, Judge is slashing .309/.433/.712 with an MLB-leading 30 home runs for one of the AL's top teams. Judge led all comers with 3,425,309 total votes in Phase 1.

Because of their lofty early vote totals, Harper and Judge will bypass Phase 2 of the All-Star vote. As for other hopefuls, two or three finalists at each position in each league were selected based on Phase 1 totals. Phase 2 will see one player from each group of finalists emerge as a 2024 All-Star.

Here are those finalists advancing to Phase 2:

American League

• Catcher: Adley Rutschman , Orioles ; Salvador Perez , Royals
• First base: Ryan Mountcastle , Orioles; Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays
• Second base: Jose Altuve , Astros ; Marcus Semien , Rangers
• Third base: José Ramírez, Guardians ; Jordan Westburg , Orioles
• Shortstop: Gunnar Henderson , Orioles; Bobby Witt Jr., Royals
• Outfield: Juan Soto , Yankees; Steven Kwan , Guardians; Anthony Santander , Orioles; Kyle Tucker , Astros; (Judge already selected)
• DH: Yordan Alvarez , Astros; Ryan O'Hearn , Orioles

National League

• Catcher: William Contreras , Brewers ; J.T. Realmuto , Phillies
• First base: (Harper already selected)
• Second base: Ketel Marte , Diamondbacks ; Luis Arraez , Padres
• Third base: Alec Bohm , Phillies; Manny Machado , Padres
• Shortstop: Mookie Betts , Dodgers ; Trea Turner , Phillies
• Outfield: Jurickson Profar , Padres; Christian Yelich , Brewers; Teoscar Hernández, Dodgers; FernandoTatis Jr., Padres; Brandon Marsh , Phillies; Nick Castellanos , Phillies
• DH: Shohei Ohtani , Dodgers; Kyle Schwarber , Phillies

The second phase of voting will begin on June 30 and conclude on July 3. All totals are reset for the new round and each player starts fresh. Later on July 3, the winners of Phase 2 will be announced. and Bruce Bochy will manage the AL squad, while Torey Lovullo will be the NL skipper. As for the remainder of the rosters, reserves and pitchers will be selected by a combination of player vote and selection by the commissioner's office. Full All-Star rosters will be revealed on July 7.

This year's All-Star Game is in Arlington, Tex., on July 16.