All-Star to Be? Profar Proves Popular, But Needs More Votes to Become Starter

Padre outfielder Jurickson Profar cleared a hurdle to make it to the All-Star Game, but needs to leap over one more as a new phase of All-Star voting begins Sunday.

Fans backed him hard, with nearly 2.56 million votes, to place him among the six National League finalists to start the game, set for July 16 in Arlington, Texas.

Fernando Tatis Jr., though injured, joins him among the finalists, along with the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez, the Phillies’ Brandon Marsh and Nick Castellanos, and the Brewers’ Christian Yelich.

Profar returned to the Padres this year after the team re-signed him in 2023 following his mid-season release by the Rockies. And he has excelled, hitting .316, second only to superstar Shohei Ohtani in all of baseball. He also is tied for sixth in hits in the NL with another Dodger star, Freddie Freeman.

The new voting phase opens at 9 a.m. Sunday, continuing through 9 a.m. Wednesday. The winners will be revealed on ESPN hours after voting closes.

Two other Padres made it to the second round – Manny Machado against the Phillies’ Alex Bohm at third base and newcomer Luis Arraez against the D’backs’ Ketel Marte at second.

Sluggers Aaron Judge of the Yankees and Bryce Harper of the Phillies led all vote-getters in the American and National leagues respectively. Each received well over 3 million votes.