Blue Jays dominating the game as MLB releases All-Star voting update

Major League Baseball has released the first update for 2023 All-Star Game voting, and fans of the Toronto Blue Jays will surely be thrilled.

I mean, just look at that. If the voting ended today, the Blue Jays would have a representative at the following positions:

• First base - Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
• Third base - Matt Chapman
• Shortstop - Bo Bichette
• Outfield - Kevin Kiermaier
• Designated hitter - Brandon Belt

As far as shoo-in players go, one would have to think that Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Bo Bichette and Kevin Gausman are the three players that are "locked in" already. The former two are easily the most popular players on the club and since the ASG is determined (almost) fully by voting, there's little doubt that both of them make it in. The latter has been one of the best hurlers in the game this year and it will not be even remotely surprising to see him make the final roster as well, although pitchers are voted into the game in a different way than position players are.

Chapman also leads all American League third basemen, but his inclusion in the final roster has a bit more uncertainty attached to it, as he has experienced quite the regression since his red-hot start to the season. His .824 OPS and 131 OPS+ will be more than enough to keep him around in the conversation, though.

On the opposite end of that, Belt has turned his season completely around and has been one of the team's best hitters over the past month or so. The lefty-swinging first baseman has been exactly what the Blue Jays were looking for when they inked him to a one-year contract over this past offseason; hitting a ton of balls in the gap, drawing walks and getting on base any way he can.

Then there's Kiermaier, who is quickly becoming one of the more popular players on this team's active roster. The 33-year-old is a human highlight reel in center field and carries a 135 OPS+ through his first 54 games of the season. To see him finally make his first career ASG in his 11th season would not be a surprise and it is well earned at this point.

As far as near-misses go, catcher Alejandro Kirk (fourth in voting) and second baseman Whit Merrifield (second in voting) are just barely on the outside looking in. In the outfield, both George Springer and Daulton Varsho are inside the top four of players who missed the cut in the first update.

Blue Jays fans are some of the most passionate in the game today, and this latest ballot update is proof. Seeing this many Jays players rank this high up in the voting is awesome to see, don't be surprised if the club ends up being the team most often represented in this year's Midsummer Classic.