The Home Run Derby is always a major part of the MLB All Star Game festivities, and that event lived up to the hype again on Monday night. Eight of the biggest sluggers in the league took their swings in a new format, and it was Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers that came away with a win.
The crowd at Globe Life Field was treated to a show throughout the entire night, and it was also an event that came with a ton of drama. Hernandez secured the win when a ball hit by Bobby Witt Jr. banged off the fence, leaving him just one home run short.
Hernandez became the first player from the Dodgers organization to win the Home Run Derby, and he got it done in thrilling fashion. Not only did Hernandez secure some bragging rights by winning this event, but he also walked away with $1 million.
The 31 year old slugger is known for being a terrific teammate, and that could be seen based on the support from other players throughout the event. Formerly a member of the Toronto Blue Jays, Hernandez had plenty of love from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. throughout the night.
When entering the contest, Hernandez had the sixth-longest odds, but that didn’t matter in how confident he was. He always believed that he was the top slugger in the field, and was extremely consistent throughout the entire contest.
After surviving a swing-off with Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies, Hernandez got off to a big start in the finals against Bobby Witt Jr. Not only was he representing the Dodgers in this event, Hernandez was also representing his home country of the Dominican Republic.
Hernandez became the 7th player from the DR to win the Home Run Derby, joining a list of elite sluggers. The week won’t end for Hernandez as he will be the starting centerfielder for the National League on Tuesday night.
No Luck For Alonso
Pete Alonso was looking to win his third Home Run Derby on Monday night, and he was the clear favorite entering the event. Alonso has made a habit of putting up such a big number that can’t be challenged, but that wasn’t the case this time around.
While other sluggers were bombing balls all over the stadium in the first round, Alonso managed just 12 home runs. He was using the same pitcher that threw to him in his first two attempts, but the new format was a challenge for him.
Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves, and Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles also struggled to find success in the first round. There were five players in a close race for the four semifinal spots, but that wasn’t the case for these three hitters.
Plenty of Big Blasts
Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies entered the contest with the least amount of regular season home runs, but he belted 21 of them in the first round to set the tone. That number was matched by Jose Ramirez as those two were the new favorites heading into the semifinals.
Hometown hero Adolis Garcia put on a great show for the Rangers fans on Monday night, but his 18 long balls left him just short of moving on to the next round. This new format gave hitters three minutes, or 40 pitches to swing at during the first round.
A bonus round was also available to the sluggers, and players could earn an extra out if they hit a ball over 425 feet. While there were no 500 foot blasts at this version of the event, the new format did keep things more competitive.
