Get ready to watch the balls fly as eight of MLB’s top sluggers will battle it out in the 2023 Home Run Derby.
Arguably the most exciting event of All-Star Week, the field for this year’s contest features a handful of first-timers and a few sluggers with experience, including two-time champion Pete Alonso, last year’s runner-up and hometown favorite Julio Rodríguez and 2021 MLB home run leader Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Four of Monday’s participants rank in the top six in home runs at the halfway point of the regular season.
Follow along for Monday’s action from T-Mobile Park.
Iam Tongi sings national anthem
The “American Idol” winner that stole everyone’s hearts was on hand to sing the national anthem, as Iam Tongi sang a beautiful rendition to kick off the event.
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Randy Arozarena shows up in cowboy boots
It wouldn’t be a Randy Arozarena appearance without the cowboys boots.
As each participant was announced prior to the beginning of the event, Arozarena walked on the stage donning his iconic cowboy boots. He will face off Adolis Garcia in the first round.
What time does the Home Run Derby start?
The 2023 Home Run Derby is on Monday, July 10 at 8 p.m. ET. It will be held at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
How can I watch?
Fans can watch the 2023 Home Run Derby on ESPN with a StatCast edition on ESPN2. It will also air on ESPN.com, MLB.com and MLB.TV.
Who is in the 2023 Home Run Derby?
- Luis Robert Jr. (Chicago White Sox)
- Pete Alonso (New York Mets)
- Mookie Betts (Los Angeles Dodgers)
- Adolis Garcia (Texas Rangers)
- Randy Arozarena (Tampa Bay Rays)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Toronto Blue Jays)
- Julio Rodríguez (Seattle Mariners)
- Adley Rutschman (Baltimore Orioles)
Home Run Derby bracket matchups
The Home Run Derby contestants are given a seed for tournament, which determines matchups. Here is the bracket for this year’s Home Run Derby:
First round
- No. 1 Luis Robert Jr. vs. No. 8 Adley Rutschman
- No. 2 Pete Alonso vs. No. 7 Julio Rodríguez
- No. 3 Mookie Betts vs. No. 6 Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
- No. 4. Adolis Garcia vs. No. 5 Randy Arozarena
Second round
- Semifinal 1: Robert Jr./Rutschman winner vs. Garcia/Arozarena winner
- Semifinal 2: Alonso/Rodríguez winner vs. Betts/Guerrero Jr. winner
Finals
- Semifinal 1 winner vs. semifinal 2 winner
2023 Home Run Derby contestants’ stats
Four of the eight participants this year rank in the top 10 in home runs this season: Alonso, Betts, Roberts Jr. and Garcia.
Here are how many home runs each player has at the All-Star break and where they rank:
- Pete Alonso: 26 (T-3rd)
- Mookie Betts: 26 (T-3rd)
- Luis Roberts Jr.: 26 (T-3rd)
- Adolis Garcia: 23 (T-6th)
- Randy Arozarena: 16 (T-29th)
- Julio Rodriguez: 13 (T-57th)
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: 13 (T-57th)
- Adley Rutschman: 11 (T-88th)
PAST WINNERS:Home Run Derby through the years
What are the Home Run Derby rules?
The competition is a bracket, single elimination style. In the first two rounds, each contestant has three minutes with a 45 second timeout. In the finals, it’s two minutes with a 45 second timeout.
Batters can earn more time, as they are rewarded a 30 second bonus time at the end of each round, and can earn an additional 30 seconds with two home runs of 440 feet. The batter with the most home runs in the matchup moves on. If a tiebreaker is needed, there will be a 60-second swing off with no stoppage.
How long does the Home Run Derby last?
The Home Run Derby consists of three rounds. Four matchups are in the first round and two matchups are in the second found before two final contenders square off in the finals.
T-Mobile Park dimensions
The Mariners will be hosting All-Star week at T-Mobile Park for the second time in the stadium’s history, hosting it in 2001. However, it’ll be a slightly different field of play than the 2001 Home Run Derby had. Before 2013, the stadium underwent renovations that changed the distance and size of the outfield walls, making it shorter and technically easier to hit a home run for this year’s contest. Here are the dimensions for the ballpark:
- Left field line: 331 feet
- Left center: 378 feet
- Center: 401 feet
- Right center: 381 feet
- Right field line: 326 feet
Pete Alonso goes to the bullpen for new Derby pitcher
Two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso said his former Tampa travel ball childhood coach, Mike Friedlein, developed a forearm issue and won’t be his Derby pitcher tonight. Someone else will fill in. Alonso has been deliberate in choosing his Derby pitchers in the past. His cousin and college baseball player Derek Morgan, threw the pitches for his first Derby win, while Mets coach Dave Jauss threw for his second. — Scott Boeck
Home Run Derby betting odds
There is plenty of betting action around the world’s premier annual slugging showcase, and USA TODAY readers can claim unique promo codes and bonuses from various online sportsbooks. The favorite to win the 2023 Home Run Derby is New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso, who is listed at +300 odds to win by BetMGM. If you like Alonso’s chances to become just the second player to win three derby titles, FanDuel is offering slightly longer odds at +330 for the Polar Bear to win the event. Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, a former No. 1 overall pick, has the biggest longshot odds at +2000 to win, per BetMGM.
Bettors can also wager on other outcomes during the event through apps like DraftKings, which offers odds on round-by-round matchups as well as home run totals and distances. For example, Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is favored to hit the most home runs in the contest at +275, followed by Alonso (+350) and defending runner-up Julio Rodriguez (+370). You can also predict whether the derby record for home-run distance (521 feet) will be eclipsed, with DraftKings putting +800 odds on the chance of a record-breaking dinger to occur. — Richard Morin
Luis Robert Jr. shows off incredible bat with panther for derby
The No. 1 seed is going in style.
Robert Jr. showed off the custom bat he will use for Monday night, a black bat with a panther wearing a chain, and his No. 88 jersey number on the other side with the flag of his home country Cuba inside.
The panther on the bat is a reference to his nickname within the White Sox organization: “La Pantera.”
Longest Home Run Derby homers
It’ll be hard to beat the record for longest Home Run Derby dingers, as the top four longest homers came in the high elevation in Denver for the 2021 edition. Here are the longest home runs ever in the competition in the statcast era:
- Juan Soto: 520 feet, 2021 (Colorado)
- Trevor Story: 518 feet, 2021 (Colorado)
- Pete Alonso: 514 feet, 2021 (Colorado)
- Shohei Ohtani: 513 feet, 2021 (Colorado)
- Aaron Judge: 513 feet, 2017 (Miami)
- Aaron Judge: 513 feet, 2017 (Miami)
Home Run Derby winners list by year
Here are the winners of the Home Run Derby since 2000:
- 2000: Sammy Sosa
- 2001: Luis Gonzalez
- 2002: Jason Giambi
- 2003: Garret Anderson
- 2004: Miguel Tejada
- 2005: Bobby Abreu
- 2006: Ryan Howard
- 2007: Vladimir Guerrero
- 2008: Justin Morneau
- 2009: Prince Fielder
- 2010: David Ortiz
- 2011: Robinson Canó
- 2012: Prince Fielder
- 2013: Yoenis Céspedes
- 2014: Yoenis Céspedes
- 2015: Todd Frazier
- 2016: Giancarlo Stanton
- 2017: Aaron Judge
- 2018: Bryce Harper
- 2019: Pete Alonso
- 2020: Canceled
- 2021: Pete Alonso
- 2022: Juan Soto
