Baltimore Orioles outfielder Ryan O’Hearn and second baseman Jackson Holliday advanced to the final round of MLB All-Star voting Thursday.
Orioles’ O’Hearn, Holliday Named MLB All-Star Finalists
O’Hearn led all players qualifying for the Designated Hitter spot, earning over 1,700,000 votes. The 31-year-old veteran will appear on the ballot alongside New York Yankees rookie Ben Rice as both seek their first All-Star nod. The eight-year MLB vet has slugged .301/.384/.869 over 67 games this season with 11 home runs and 30 RBI.
One step closer to Atlanta
Ryan O’Hearn is an All-Star Finalist! pic.twitter.com/FdD9yY8Np0
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) June 26, 2025
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Holliday garnered the second-most votes at the second base position, trailing Detroit Tigers infielder Gleyber Torres by over 300,000 votes and narrowly beating the Houston Astros’ Jose Altuve. The 21-year-old rookie looks to earn his first All-Star nod and upset the 28-year-old Torres in the final round. Holliday slugged a respectable .259/.310/.722 slash line with nine home runs and two triples over 73 games this season.
Moving on to the finals
Jackson Holliday is an All-Star Finalist! pic.twitter.com/UKKH6MIJhE
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) June 26, 2025
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The second round of voting will be open between June 30 and July 2. The highest vote-earners for each position will automatically earn the starter nod.
The Case for Ryan O’Hearn
O’Hearn is having his strongest season since 2023, and the best season of his entire career. The designated hitter’s OPS, overall slugging, overall on-base percentage, and batting average are trending to his career highs. He’s also on track to topple his career high in home runs, walks, and possibly a career low in strikeouts.
On a team desperate for offensive production, O’Hearn leads the team or appears near the top in every metric. He’s currently third in individual WAR on the Orioles as well. He is the best all-around player at the position in the American League.
Ben Rice, the second player vying for the nod, has a lower batting average and OBP. However, he has 14 home runs and 12 doubles, showcasing a bit more power than the 31-year-old O’Hearn. It might be close, but O’Hearn is the favorite to win and represent the Orioles in the All-Star Game.
The Case for Jackson Holliday
As mentioned in a previous article, the reason why Holliday is here is that a number of previous All-Stars have not been performing well. Andrés Giménez is hitting under .200, while Marcus Semien has an OPS under .700. Even Jose Altuve is having his weakest season of his career.
That said, Holliday is not a strong second baseman either. The 21-year-old is actually on the lower end of his team’s production, but still has nine home runs and eight stolen bases. His OPS+, however, is just above average at 106 despite carrying 72 strikeouts over 282 at-bats.
He is the underdog behind the aforementioned Gleyber Torres, who has a .280/.384/.803 slash line. In fact, for the first time in his career, he has more walks than strikeouts. His impressive turnaround from his underwhelming final (regular season) days in New York makes this an uphill battle for Holliday.
Main Photo Credit: © Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
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