The 2024 Home Run Derby is quickly approaching, and in addition to a fantastic lineup of players, baseball’s midsummer extravaganza will feature a new concept this year. After winning the Home Run Derby at T-Mobile Park in Seattle the previous year, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has not returned to the field to try to defend his championship.
With the field of eight competitors decided, here’s all the information you need to know about this year’s Home Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, including who’s in and who’s out.
updated format
Over the years, the Home Run Derby has undergone numerous format changes; the current one will expire in 2024. In the first round, head-to-head matches are no longer held. Rather, in the first round, all eight competitors will face off against one another, with four winners moving on. The new format operates as follows:
First round: Each of the eight players gets one timeout in addition to three minutes or forty pitches, whichever comes first. The top four home run scorers move on. We use the longest home run distance to break ties. Each player receives three bonus outs after the first three minutes or forty pitches, during which they can continue to hit until three outs are recorded. In bonus time, hitters can win a fourth bonus out by hitting a 425-foot home run. Since they can keep hitting home runs in extra time until they run out of outs, this provides anyone who is behind a chance to catch up.
Semifinals: Using first round home run totals, the four surviving players are ranked 1-4. In head-to-head matches, it’s 1 vs. 4 and 2 vs. 3. Once more, there is one timeout and three minutes or forty pitches. All bonus time regulations are applicable.
Finals: The same bonus time rules apply, and the last two players get two minutes or 27 pitches with one timeout. The winner is the player with the most home runs.
Regular-season home run totals were used to seed the eight players 1–8, and the winner of the Home Run Derby was determined by head-to-head competition in a single-elimination tournament. There was no pitch limit, but there was a time constraint—three minutes for the first and second rounds, and two minutes for the finals. A player saw no fewer than forty pitches in a round last year, therefore this new limit of forty pitches will expedite things and emphasize efficiency (i.e., home runs per pitch).
The team logo of Gunnar Henderson, the field player headshot
SS • #2 BAL View Profile
Gunnar Henderson, the shortstop for the Orioles, committed to the 2024 Home Run Derby on June 30. Alex Rodriguez (52 in 2001 and 57 in 2002) is the first 50-homer shortstop in baseball history, and the 23-year-old wunderkind is on track to join him. Henderson’s debut in the Home Run Derby will occur this time. Miguel Tejada (2004) and Hall of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) are the two Os who have previously won the Home Run Derby.
player portrait, team emblem
Alec Bohm #28; 3B; PHI
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Alec Bohm, a third baseman for the Philadelphia Phillies, committed to the Derby on July 5, making history as the second batter and first National League player to do so. Bohm, 27, currently leads the majors in doubles and the NL in RBI this season. By all accounts, he should finish the season with about 20 home runs. Although that’s not a very high total for a Derby participant, Bohm hits the ball quite powerfully and has a higher than average fly ball rate. His goal will be to become the third player from the Phillies to win the Home Run Derby. Prior winners were Ryan Howard in 2006 and Bobby Abreu in 2005.
player portrait, team emblem
Pete Alonso, 1B, #20, NYM
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Only hours after being selected for his fourth career All-Star Game, Pete Alonso, the first baseman for the New York Mets, became the third participant to commit to the Derby. Alonso has already won the 2019 and 2021 Derby events, making him as experienced as a contender can get. Alonso will have participated in five Derbys total. He lost against Mariners standout Julio Rodríguez in the opening round of the competition last summer.
player portrait, team emblem
Bobby Witt #7, KC, SS
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Bobby Witt Jr., a key player for the Royals, revealed on July 8 that he will take part in the Home Run Derby this year. Witt, the second overall choice in the 2019 draft, had a breakout season last year with 30 home runs and 49 steals, and he should have a similar amount this year. He is one of the most dynamic players in baseball and one of the best power/speed threats in the game. Since Salvador Perez in 2021, Witt will be the first player from the Royals to compete in the Home Run Derby. It is a record that no Royal has ever won.
player portrait, team emblem
Marcell Ozuna #20, ATL, DH
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On July 8, the Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna revealed that he would participate in the Home Run Derby. Since the beginning of his incredible hot run in May of last year, Ozuna has been among the finest hitters in baseball. Since Freddie Freeman in 2018, he will be the first player from the Braves to compete in the Home Run Derby aside from Ronald Acuña Jr. There is never a Brave who wins the Home Run Derby.
player portrait, team emblem
Jose Ramirez, #3B, CLE, #11
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On July 9, José Ramírez, the philosopher-king and third baseman for the Guardians, announced his commitment to play in the 2024 Home Run Derby. For Ramírez, this will be his second derby. He had competed in 2022 before, but his first-round exit was mostly due to a thumb ailment that was not mentioned at the time. The switch-hitting Ramírez has been one of the game’s best power threats for a long time, with 239 career home runs to his name. As of right now, this season, he has hit 23 home runs. There is never a Cleveland player who wins the derby.
Adolis Garcia’s team logo and player headshot
TEX • RF • #53
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The seventh player revealed to be in the Derby lineup was Adolis Garcia, an outfielder with the Rangers. Given that the All-Star Game will take place at his Arlington, Texas, home park, he will be the hometown favorite. Garcia competed in the Derby the previous year as well, but Randy Arozarena defeated him in the first round. In his first 87 games of the season, Garcia has 17 home runs.
player portrait, team emblem
Hernandez Teoscar
LAD, LF, and #37
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July 10 saw the announcement of Teoscar Hernández as the last participant in the Derby. Despite having a top-25 career home run total of 147 from 2018 to 23 in baseball, Hernández has never participated in competition. Hernández has played in 90 games this season, his first with the Dodgers, and has hit 19 home runs.
Player headshots without participation and team logos
Judge Aaron
NYY, CF, and #99
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Aaron Judge, the star of the Yankees, will pass on the Home Run Derby once more even though he leads the league in home runs. Since winning the competition as a rookie in 2017, he has not taken part in it. It doesn’t sound like something Judge is excited to do, but he has stated he will participate in the Home Run Derby again when the All-Star Game comes to New York. The 2013 All-Star Game took place at Citi Field in New York. In 2008, the final season at the former Yankee Stadium, the Yankees hosted the All-Star Game for the last time.
player portrait, team emblem
Alvarez Yordan
HOU, DH, and #44
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According to The Athletic, Astros masher Yordan Alvarez stated on July 1 that he is “not really motivated to do at this point” in reference to the Home Run Derby. Alvarez is on track to hit more over thirty home runs in 2024, having done so in each of the previous three years. Neither he nor other Astros player has ever taken part in or won the Home Run Derby.
player portrait, team emblem
Juan Soto #22; RF; NYY
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Like his Yankees colleague Aaron Judge, Juan Soto will not be participating in the Home Run Derby this year. On July 4, he told Newsday, “No, not this year.” Soto advanced to the second round in 2021 and won the Home Run Derby in 2022. Naturally, Soto is a free agent this year, and last month, he nearly suffered a minor forearm injury. This season, a lot is riding on him. Thus, it should come as no surprise that Soto is not entering the Home Run Derby. Do not take on the risk of injury.
player portrait, team emblem
Shohei Ohtani #17; DH; LAD
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Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani first stated he would like to enter the Home Run Derby with his hacks, but he has since stated that’s unlikely due to elbow surgery he had last September. On July 2, he declared, “I’m in the middle of my rehab progression, so it’s not going to look like I’ll be participating.” Ohtani has already taken part in one Home Run Derby. Juan Soto defeated him in a first-round tiebreaker in 2021.
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Sadly New York Mets reliever returns to the injured list.
Reliever for the New York Mets is returning to the injured list.
The New York Mets placed pitcher Drew Smith on the disabled list ahead of their game against their crosstown rivals on Wednesday due to a right elbow injury. A few hours prior to the announcement, Smith’s forearm soreness prompted Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to inform reporters that Smith would be getting an MRI.
The test findings obviously did not look promising, despite the organization withholding a lot of information. Smith will be out of the lineup for the Mets for at least the next 15 days, though it is unclear how long his absence will last.
Over those fifteen days, New York will play fourteen games. Furthermore, eight of those games fall during closer Edwin Díaz’s suspension. Since Díaz cannot be replaced on the roster while serving a suspension, the Mets were already anticipated to be severely limited in their bullpen.
Losing Smith, a potential high-leverage slugger in Díaz’s absence, will make the bullpen situation worse over the next several days.
The New York Mets Stadium Drew Smith is listed as injured.
The last time Smith threw was on Sunday evening vs the Chicago Cubs. He gave up one hit, recorded two outs (one strikeout) in three batter counts. Smith did not appear well during the outing, despite the box score indicating that he pitched well.
Cameras captured Smith shaking his arm during the outing in between pitches. The Dallas native also appeared to summon Mendoza and trainers to the mound after recording the first two outs. He was removed from the game after giving the following batter a hit.
Smith was placed on the disabled list by the Mets on Wednesday, seemingly as a result of his performance on Sunday. Smith was introduced into the match by Mendoza as soon as Díaz was sent out by the umpires for what seemed to be “sticky stuff” on his hand. The outing had been impulsively urgent, so Smith hurried through his warm-up and found it difficult to release his arm.
Smith’s right shoulder pain caused him to miss nearly six weeks of action earlier in the season. Throughout his career, the 30-year-old has also had to cope with a multitude of arm-related problems. Though the extent of the most recent arm injury is yet unknown, Mendoza told reporters he is not very worried. Smith has a lengthy history of injuries, so Mets supporters shouldn’t hold out hope for a speedy comeback.
Smith was one of the relievers Mendoza trusted in high-leverage situations, despite his lack of durability. The 30-year-old has thrown 17 2/3 innings with a 3.06 ERA (128 ERA+) and 23 strikeouts in 19 games this season. With Díaz sidelined, he seemed destined to earn more crucial innings and possibly record some saves. Instead, days after losing a reliever with a 1.66 ERA, the Mets place Smith on the disabled list.
The Mets promoted Triple-A Syracuse right-hander Ty Adcock in retaliation.
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