Story will be the crowd favorite, performing in front of his hometown fans. Why Gallo can win: He’s 6’5, 250 pounds, with a long swing made for putting a dent in the baseball. No HBP for the HR Derby, but Gallo should be thrilling to watch in the Rocky Mountain air. He’s an all-or-nothing hitter: in 58% of his plate appearances, Gallo doesn’t put the ball in the field of play (either a HR, strikeout, walk, or hit by pitch). Gallo is on pace for his third 40-HR season for Texas, and he’s getting hot at the right time, with 10 dingers last month, and four already in July. Why Alonso can win: Since his rookie season of 2019, Alonso leads baseball in home runs. The Mets slugger won the most recent derby, in 2019, when he blasted 57 homers in the three rounds of competition. If you put stock in experience, Pete Alonso is your man. Why Pérez can win: He’s the underdog, and sooner or later, every dog has his day, right? He’s the only player in baseball history to increase his HR in seven straight seasons. Consider: since his rookie year, Pérez has increased his HR output every season (except the pandemic-shortened year), and he is sure to do so again, seeing as he already has 20 home runs through early July. So too for Sal Pérez, who isn’t considered a classic home run hitter, but keeps smacking the longball. Some things get better with age: cheese, wine, the music of Sam Cooke. Why Juan Soto can win: After a slow start in the HR category, Soto has picked up the pace of late, hitting seven homers in his last month, and two homers just this week. But the flashy Soto still won the NL batting title last season, and he has more than enough pop to win the Derby Crown in Denver. It’s more like he’s been overshadowed by sexier young stars. #Home run derby 2021 series#Soto hasn’t disappointed at all, since his 2019 season when he helped lead the Nats to the World Series title. Remember Juan Soto? There was a time when the Nationals outfielder was the most heralded young player in baseball. Why Ohtani can win: He’s the storyline of 2021, and he’s on a roll, having hit nine homers in the last 14 days, as of this writing. Take a look at his swing to see how quickly he pivots his midsection to point toward the pitcher and extends his arms to maximize his longball game. Ohtani has a gorgeous swing and tremendous raw power. We’ve never seen anyone (not even Babe Ruth) quite like the two-way star Shohei Ohtani, but will the Japanese star win the Home Run Derby and make his star even brighter? UPDATE: Latest Odds on Home Run Derby Home Run Derby Bracket Matchups Shohei Ohtani vs. Even for the highest-paid athletes, a hundred grand here and a hundred grand there, pretty soon you’re talking about real money. The batters are not just swinging for their looks: the league offers a cash prize pool of $2.5 million, with $1 million going to the HR Derby Champion. #Home run derby 2021 full#If you’re a numbers guy or gal, ESPN News will air a simulcast chock full of Statcast metrics, such as launch angle and the like. Once again, ESPN has the broadcast rights to the Home Run Derby. How To Watch The Home Run Derby & What’s At Stake The Home Run Derby will be held at Coors Field in Colorado on Monday, July 12th, pitting some of baseball’s greatest sluggers in a competition of “grip it and rip it” swinging for the fences. After an absence in 2020, the Major League Baseball All-Star Game returns this year, and the multi-day festivities include the Home Run Derby, sponsored by T-Mobile.
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