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MLB Makes Impressive Shohei Ohtani Announcement Before All-Star Break

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Jake Elman | Last updated Jul 11, 2025 12:26 PM ET

You might be surprised to learn that Los Angeles Dodgers two-way superstar and three-time MVP Shohei Ohtani is popular these days.

Just how popular is Ohtani, you ask? Any lingering doubt about him being the face of Major League Baseball should have ended on Friday, when the league announced Ohtani has the sport's most popular jersey since Opening Day.

As of publication, Major League Baseball had not announced the specific total of sales. However, the league cited the Fanatics network of sites and reported that Ohtani's jerseys have sold more than any other player worldwide.

The top five feature three Dodgers players: Ohtani, first baseman Freddie Freeman (No. 3), and shortstop Mookie Betts. Unsurprisingly, the club also includes New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge (No. 2) and Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (No. 5).

Major League Baseball announced that the 2025 All-Stars represent 13 of the top 20 jerseys. That group includes Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who finished No. 20 in what could be his final season.

Judge and Houston Astros second baseman/left fielder Jose Altuve are the only American League players inside the top 10.

It's been another sensational year for Ohtani, who enters Friday batting .279 with 31 homers, 58 RBIs, and a .993 OPS. He's already provided the first-place Dodgers with 4.0 bWAR and is on pace for his second consecutive 50-home run season.

Additionally, Ohtani has allowed only one run in six innings over four starts. He's expected to make his final start before the All-Star Break on Saturday against the rival San Francisco Giants.

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This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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