Los Angeles Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani will headline the 2022 All-Star Game starting lineups, Major League Baseball announced Friday.

The 28-year-old Japanese beat out Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez as the American League's starting designated hitter. The All-Star Game will take place at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on July 19.

Last year, Ohtani became the first player in MLB history to be selected as a pitcher and position player, and he started the game on the mound and at DH.

File photo shows Los Angeles Angels star Shohei Ohtani during the MLB All-Star baseball game in July, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Kyodo)

"I had fun last year, so I'm looking forward to having some more fun this year," Ohtani told reporters in Baltimore, where the Angels were in the middle of a series against the Baltimore Orioles.

Ohtani is only the second Japanese major leaguer to be picked a starting position player via fan vote multiple times, with former Seattle Mariners outfielder Ichiro Suzuki the only other player to do so.

Ohtani finished second to Alvarez in the first round of voting, but when the players went head-to-head in Phase 2, Ohtani came out ahead, winning with 52 percent of the vote.

It is his second career All-Star Game selection, and he will be joined by teammate Mike Trout at the game this year. Trout, who was voted into the All-Star Game for the ninth time last year despite a calf injury, missed the event in 2021.

It remains to be seen if Ohtani will also be selected as a pitcher. Full rosters, including the pitchers and reserves for each league, will be announced on Sunday. Each side is made up of 20 position players and 12 pitchers.

It also remains to be seen if Ohtani will take part in the Home Run Derby, held the day before the All-Star Game.

"We haven't gotten into that conversation yet and nothing has been decided. But I was selected as an All-Star, so I will do as much as I can to entertain the fans," he said.

Last year MLB altered the rules of the All-Star Game to showcase Ohtani. He led off the game for the AL and then pitched a scoreless bottom half of the inning.


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