The Blue Jays could end up with multiple starters in the All-Star game
The Toronto Blue Jays entered this season with World Series aspirations after winning its first American League pennant since 1993 last season.
The Blue Jays haven't had the series many analysts, or themselves, thought they would going into this season. Entering their off-day Monday, Toronto was 34-38 and 10 games behind the New York Yankees for first place in the division.
The Blue Jays also entered Monday 1.5 games behind the Athletics and Texas Rangers for the final American League wild card spot.
Despite Toronto's struggles, the team was still well-represented on the initial reporting from the All-Star ballot.
According to numbers shared in a post on "X" from USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale on Monday, the Blue Jays have several players in the top three at their position in the American League.
Here's an overview of the Toronto hitters among the top vote-getters at their respective positions:
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., first base
Guerrero is one of two Blue Jays players who've received the most amount of votes at their respective position.
Guerrero has received 603,014 votes based on initial numbers from the poll shared by Nightengale. That's almost 100,000 more votes than the second-place vote-getter Ben Rice (Yankees).
Guerrero has slashed .280/.372/.366 with a .738 OPS in 68 games this season and has hit 12 doubles and three home runs with 27 RBIs.
Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. looks on in the dugout before a game against the New York Yankees on Friday at Rogers Centre in Toronto. | Nick Turchiaro/Imagn ImagesAlejandro Kirk, catcher
Kirk has received second-most votes among American League catchers based on the first update from Nightengale.
The 27-year-old backstop pulled in 298,401 votes despite missing two months due to a fractured left thumb.
Kirk was activated off the injured list June 12. In his two games since turning, he's gone 4-for-7 with a double and two RBIs.
Ernie Clement, second base
Clement is the second of Toronto's hitters to earn the most votes at his respective position in the AL.
Clement has 904,702 votes, more than three times more than the player with the second-most votes, the Texas Rangers' Ezequiel Duran.
Clement is in the midst of a career-best season. He's slashed .302/.324/.460 with a .784 OPS in 71 games and has hit 20 doubles, a triple and seven home runs with 28 RBIs.
Kazuma Okamoto, third base
It's a close race between Kazuma Okamoto and Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Junior Caminero for the highest vote-getter in the AL.
Okamoto is second based on the first update with 556,172 votes and Caminero is first with 625,520 votes.
Okamoto, in is first major league season, has slashed .235/.314/.447 with a .761 OPS in 70 games and has hit nine doubles and 14 homers with 42 RBIs. He leads the Blue Jays in home runs and RBIs.
Andres Gimenez, shortstop
Gimenez has the second-most votes in the AL among shortstops, behind Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr.
Gimenez has 354,651 votes compared to Witt's 890,575 votes.
The Toronto shortstop has a slash line of .222/.269/.351 with a .620 OPS in 68 games this year and has hit nine doubles, a triple and six homers with 30 RBIs this season.
George Springer, designated hitter
Springer has the second-most votes among designated hitters in the AL. He has 323,112 votes compared to Houston Astros DH Yordan Alvarez, who has 1,015,768 votes.
Springer has slashed .208/.303/.354 with a .657 OPS in 50 games this year and has hit 10 doubles and six home runs with 16 RBIs.
Other notes
Blue Jays outfielders Daulton Varsho (337,581 votes), Jesus Sanchez (310,970) and Myles Straw (272,973) rank eighth, ninth and 10th, respectively, among outfielders in fan voting in the AL.
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