KC Royals castoff jumps to early lead for American League All-Star Game berth

Kansas City Royals fans had little to be happy about Monday after Major League Baseball revealed current vote tallies for the first phase of 2025 All-Star Game balloting. Only shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. appeared among those AL position players and designated hitters with realistic chances of reaching Phase 2, where most of the starters for the July 15 contest in Atlanta will be determined.

But while Kansas City's candidates on this year's ballot aren't faring well as a whole, a former Royal is leading the pack at designated hitter — Ryan O'Hearn, whose KC career turned sour after his promising 2018 rookie season, appears well on the way to landing his first All-Star Game berth. With a little over a week left in Phase 1, he sits atop the AL DH field, leading the Yankees' Ben Rice by over 120,000 votes. KC's DH candidate, Jac Caglianone, didn't crack the top 10. (A more complete list of voting results is here).

Will former KC Royals player Ryan O'Hearn maintain his current All-Star Game vote lead?

Good question, especially against the backdrop of this year's voting rules. The AL player who collects the most Phase 1 votes earns an automatic starting spot, while the top two finishers at other non-pitcher positions move on to Phase 2, a winner-take-all affair where the top vote-getters at each non-outfield position, and the three top outfield finishers, land starting jobs. (Naturally, the process changes a bit depending on who snares the most votes in Phase 1).

That means O'Hearn's ticket to the Midsummer Classic isn't punched yet. His 120,000-plus vote lead looks nice, but it won't take much for an energized, huge Yankee fan base to mobilize in a push to put Rice over the top.

But O'Hearn's performance this season should help him keep his statistical advantage. Heading into Tuesday's action, O'Hearn, traded by the Royals to Baltimore for only cash considerations before the 2023 season began, was hitting .306 with a .386 OBP, .881 OPS, 153 wRC+, and 10 home runs in 59 games. Rice, on the other hand, had 12 homers, but was batting only .229 with a much lower 117 wRC+.

O'Hearn's numbers contrast starkly with his Kansas City tenure — after homering 12 times and slashing .262/.353/.597 in 44 games seven seasons ago, he disappointed and finished his five years at Kauffman Stadium with 38 homers and a .219 average, the latter mark heavily impacted by a pair of .195 seasons. Since joining the Orioles, he's clubbed 39 homers and is slashing .281/.341/.459, a fine performance that could tempt the Royals to go after him at this year's trade deadline.

Fans have until June 26 at Noon ET to cast Phase 1 ballots; Phase 2 voting opens June 30 at Noon ET and closes at the same time on July 2. Click here to vote in Phase 1.