Rising sun, rising star: The Angels’ Shohei Ohtani is listed as a designated hitter on the newly released All-Star ballots. He faces stiff competition at that spot from Nelson Cruz of the Mariners, J.D. Martinez of the Red Sox and Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees. Pitchers are not elected in the fan vote, but Ohtani could be selected as a pitcher. And, yes, fans in Japan can vote. If Ohtani is elected, he would become the fourth Japanese position player voted into an All-Star starting lineup, following the Mariners’ Ichiro Suzuki (2001-04, 2006-10), the Yankees’ Hideki Matsui (2003) and — holy international ballot-box stuffing — the Cubs’ Kosuke Fukudome (2008).
Three up, three down: Shohei Ohtani on All-Star ballot; King Felix far from past All-Star stature
