July 14: Rangers shortstop Corey Seager will return to Dodger Stadium as the final Derby participant, Texas announced. Seager, who was also named to the American League All-Star team this afternoon as an injury replacement, has hit 21 homers on the season. He also appeared in the 2016 Home Run Derby.
July 13, 6:25pm: Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez will also participate, reports Jeff Passan of ESPN (on Twitter). Ramirez has never participated in the Derby before, but he’ll join the event amidst a 17-homer season. Like Rodriguez, he’ll be part of the American League All-Star team the following night.
July 13, 3:50pm: Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez announced on social media that he will be joining the contest. As a rookie, this will naturally be his first appearance in the derby.
July 12: Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber has joined the field, with Alex Coffey of the Philadelphia Inquirer relaying that he himself posted about it on Instagram.
July 11, 9:21pm: Nationals star Juan Soto will also participate. The Talk Nats blog first reported (on Twitter) that Soto would accept an invitation if offered and Héctor Gómez of Z101 confirmed he’d be in the event. Soto, who was a part of last year’s event, has hit 17 longballs on the season. He’ll also be part of the NL All-Star Team the following night.
7:06pm: The 2022 Home Run Derby will take place next Monday, and the field is beginning to take shape. Mets first baseman Pete Alonso and Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. each announced this afternoon that they’d be participating, while Katie Woo of the Athletic reports that Cardinals designated hitter Albert Pujols will partake as well.
Pujols’ participation is the most surprising (and notable) of the three. He’s a four-time contestant but hasn’t appeared in a Derby in more than a decade. He’s only hit five longballs this year but twice led the National League during his first stint in St. Louis and is fifth all-time in homers. In his final big league season, Pujols is already set to head to the All-Star Game in recognition of his career. He’ll add the Derby to the celebration.
Alonso is hoping to defend his two straight titles. The New York slugger won in 2019, then backed that up with another championship last year. (The 2020 Derby was canceled). Along the way, he knocked off Acuña in the semifinals during the 2019 event. Atlanta’s star outfielder will join the festivities for a second time. Both Alonso and Acuña will team with Pujols on the NL All-Stars; Alonso is a reserve, while Acuña will be in Brian Snitker’s starting lineup.
I don’t understand all the love for a 45yr old, whose 2021 season could have easily been his last year… you know, the year he was waived and played sparingly.
I hope he wins it!
That would be something. Got to be like a 100 to 1 shot though. Wonder what the Vegas odds are (going to search for that later)
It’s sad that something like the home run derby takes bets.
If something has at least two people and a winner, then you can probably bet on it. That’s just the gambling industry for you.
Mookie isn’t in this, is he? (so don’t take bets)
Can’t… take…. anymore… puns… aaaagh
Sorry Cosmo2, I’ll take a thread or 2 vacation, we good?
Stick around. I enjoy complaining.
Never know. BP is a little different than live game pitching. He might put on a show!!
I see what you did there 😉
I heard they are moving the fences in for Albert so his line drive singles will make it out. Then they will give him a participation trophy.
Old people love giving those things out for some reason.
5ft Beyond the INF?
Hater
I got participation trophies in the late 80s/early 90s, so the parents then are in their 60s now.
My parents really didn’t need to reaffirm my less than perfect performance in a 1990 6th grade spelling bee. Nonetheless. I proudly have a 7th place finish ribbon hanging in my man cave as a reminder of my importance.
You can be the best player in a conference in High School! Never win anything because most sports are team sports!
@Trident
Absolutely! I am 39 years old and I used to get them. It’s weird that this has even become an issue. Literally the parents of my generation are the ones who started it… And now they complain the most about it. Lol.
I am glad someone else said it too.
@trident
I agree! I also got participation trophies and I’m 39. My parents generation are literally the ones who started it. But now they are the ones complaining the loudest for it. Lol
They will give him the Shaq dimensions from Shaq Vs.
I didn’t. You most have lived in one of those progressive shithole states.
Those parents are older now, though.
every year I would get a certificate as “The Sloppiest” in the watermelon eating contest. does that count?
Yeah why all the affection for one of the very best hitters in the history of the game.
Heck why do we even have Social Security and Medicare for retirees in this nation. It costs money and those people are way past their primes.
Naw, Pujols is just a jerk and the level of venom for his fake “integrity guy” routine is pretty commiserate.
I think you’re missing my point. My point is where is all this sudden love coming from? In my opinion, it should/could have done last year.
*been. Anyway, there was no guarantee he was even going to play this year. It was either St Louis or nobody as i recall. So where were the tributes last year?
He didn’t announce that it was his final season last year before the all star game.
Bucksfan0004 The Angels did show him appreciation last year by showing him the door instead of letting him embarrass himself with his continued complaining and poor play.
Hi yeah I misread your post. So I bet a lot of did.
Hes not going to retire until he gets 700hr. Think he’s at 684 now
I thought the Angels had announced it for him. He just didn’t get the memo.
I’d be interested in Pujols from 10 years ago in the derby not the current version that is widely known to be 3-4 year older than baseball reference says he is. It used to be a honor to compete in the derby. Seems guys don’t really want to anymore.
A lot of Guys seem to go into a second half funk when they participate in the home run derby. I don’t know if it’s a mental thing or mechanical thing, but a lot of guys just struggle post-HRD.
Bobby Abreu is the poster child for that. I think fatigue is definitely a factor. It’s a huge workout for these guys and a lot of them are already tired or nicked up. Or maybe it just messes up their swings.
Maybe if Gallo participated, it would get him out of his funk.
By “widely known” I think you actually mean “widely speculated”. Just because somebody makes up a hypothesis doesn’t make it true. I’m guessing you were also one of the “Obama needs to show his birth certificate” crowd?
One might even say “widely slandered”.
A Presidential candidate should have to show his birth certificate is more of a logical position than them having to disclose their income, considering the requirements for the presidency. Just saying.
He’s probably closer to 50 years old
You mean a 49 year old?
The homerun derby is meaningless fun. No one takes it seriously except Pete Alonso. It’s just fun. Why not let Pujols give it a shot?
Because some people will complain about anything Von.
That’s F***ing Bull**** Roy! You’re wrong we are all resonable people for craps sake
“As part of a multifaceted new agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association prior to the 2019 season, the Home Run Derby prize pool was increased from $725,000 to $2.5 million. The winner takes home a cool $1 million of that total.”
Let me ask you this if you can make double you years salary in a day would you take it seriously? … Alonso salary 2019 – 555k , 2020 – 241k, 2021 – 677k ..he has actually made more from his 2 days in the homerun derby than 3 years of playing mlb every day.
Im also sure it doesnt hurt in arbitration negotiations that got him 7.4M this year.
Excellent post
As a fan, I think we can reasonably agree that the derby can be taxing to a hitter. Beyond that blanket statement, and some anecdotal evidence of guys tanking offensively or decline in power over the 2nd half, we can’t say anything for sure.
Every hitter is different. The onus is on the hitter to know whether they can handle the hard days work without it affecting them negatively. Personally if given the choice and not knowing what it could do to me, I would participate simply because I absolutely love the home run derby and always have. I think Alonso is the same way, and he benefits in a big way for the hard days work.
Albert may really be 55 years old, but he’s hitting .300 against lefties this year. Last year he hit .294 against lefties. He is a fine 1B/DH part time platoon option.
Sorry,overpaid,excluding this year, for at least 5 years! No negative on him, just did not perform. Great guy, ham and egger for about 5 years.
Imagine if you were a kid the year Mickey Mantle retired. You never really got to see him play in his prime. Wouldn’t it be super exciting to see him in this contest and the all star game, albeit past his prime? He’s a legend.
@Cosmos I’d imagine most of the Pujols detractors never watched him play in his prime similar to Miggy, Ichiro, and Griffey Jr. Dare I even add to the list Bonds himself. These guys were one-man wrecking crews.
No. Not the drunk Mantle. He declined fast
I would probably compare it more to Willie Mays as a Met. But point taken.
Even in his 90s, I bet Willie Mays has a couple good swings left in him. Let’s see if he wants to participate too.
Because he’s Albert Pujols and it’s all fun and games. Don’t be a sourpuss
he’s 49 years old
He’s 42 and nothing wrong with hanging it up with grace
Rigghhttt…”42″.
Seriously? I’m on your side in the Pujols age debate but did you really have to insult an entire religion (and more) in order to make a point? To me that seems pretty well “sad and miserable”. Ugh, so unnecessary. Spiteful, moronic and unnecessary. You’re coming off as very angry and hateful now.
…..and he still hits Bombs especially off left handed pitching
The HR derby is an exhibition for the fans. It’s all about ratings and butts in seats.
Glad you got his age right.
You are talking about one of the greatest players in the modern era. Hopefully he makes you eat those words.
bucsfan – Not asking to insult you, but how old are you?
Because it’s customary for likely HOF players to be given the red carpet treatment when they announce the upcoming season will be their last.
They did it for everyone from Cal Ripken to Derek Jeter to Mariano Rivera to David Ortiz and plenty of others.
Show some class, man. It’s fine if you don’t like the guy, but he deserves some respect regardless.
Pujols appeared in the 2015 derby, so it hasn’t been decades. Is he the oldest HRD participant ever?
Very few players get to play at 42 period. So I don’t l know but I’d be willing to be yes.
That sounds like it could be one of those weird, random ESPN stats. Because I can’t find anything about participant ages, and honestly I don’t care enough to devote more than 1 minute to Google research.
If only Julio Franco got a shot.
You going by his listed or actual age?
Probably yes both ways.
Good. Is good for the kids to have big name players participate.
So the kids can watch him make a fool of himself because he’s a shell of his former self while they boo him off the field & call him a bum! Good times for everyone. Ahahahaha!
Pretty sure he can hit balls lobbed down the middle. He won’t make a fool of himself, it’s essentially big league softball. It’s not a skills competition.
And after his first 15-20 swings, they can see a man have a stroke.
Lost all interest in the All Star Game when they introduced inter league play. Probably better to have it at a warm weather site AFTER the WS. Even then… no interest here. I’ve never watched a Homerun Derby… well not since the old show back in the late 1950’s.
Great show. Was filmed at wrigley park in Los Angeles. That was a small park so it was perfect for the show.
go away already…
That is exactly what I will be doing. Mowing the lawn is more fun than the ASG.
“Back in my day”
I imagine Pujols coming out to begin his first round. Fans applauding, players applauding, and then… cameras catch the image of a single onion hanging from his belt, and the announcers describe it incredulously. An onion, hanging from a man’s belt. Algionfriddo just “happens” to have the Derby on as background noise.
“Bahgum, is it true? Does he remember the old ways?”
And for a moment, a kid who was hurt when Teddy Baseball wouldn’t sign an autograph, who turned his back on the game so many years ago, grew up to be a cantankerous old man… for a moment, he’s a kid again.
Then Pujols manages to not hit a single home run, and the old man turns off his transistor radio. The hope that welled up inside of him has been cruelly dashed by Father Time.
“This never would have happened if Ike was still in office…”
Would rather see MadBum than Pujols in the HRD.
Pretty cool to see Albert participate! Who would have thought 20 years ago, he’d be playing in the All-Star game, and participating in the HR derby in 2022?
Why waste a spot with actual entertainment value on Pujols? Like maybe it would be different if the HRD was in St Louis, but it’s not. Feels like they’re punting something that is purely entertainment based for sentimental reasons and I don’t think that will resonate.
Waste a spot? They practically have to beg people to participate every year. There have been a couple of real duds the last few years too. Single digit HRs and then bounced. Why not let the old man have one more go of it? I think it actually raises the entertainment value for AN EXHIBITION. There is zero harm in Pujols competing. If seeing an all-time great in the HR derby ruins your night because you wanted to see CJ Cron instead, well then you’re taking this too seriously.
Imagine ignoring my last sentence. I think it kills entertainment value. The dude can barely turn on a changeup at 89 years old. I want to see somebody hit it 480 feet, not 480 inches.
For many, it enhances the entertainment value, so there’s that
Why single out Cron? I’d rather see Cron hit than Acuna, Soto, or Alonso too. But then again I am admittedly, happily biased.
I don’t think he was targeting you and the MLBTR Rockies fandom Hiflew, BUT I would much rather Cron than Soto or Acuna
I wouldn’t mind either. But since he made it a binary choice, I would 110% rather watch Cron than Pujols in the competition.
Austin Riley should be in Pujols’s spot in the derby. His swing is old school and made for the derby.
I hope they let Albert use a corked bat for it.
Maybe one of those juiced up metal bats the college kids used to play with
I guarantee you Albert is perfectly capable of winning a home run contest. It’s not the same as hitting in a regular game at all.
In the new timed format, do you think he has the gas in the tank for it? It looks exhausting.
I doubt he can finish it!
Pujols never won the home run derby in his prime but he is perfectly capable of winning it at 45? And as someone else mentioned, with the time limit which some players has called “exhausting”…. A broke clock had a better chance of being correct than fat Albert has of winning the derby.
Albert did the HRD in 2015 with my halos
LOL. Acuna can’t even stay on the field, yet he wants to compete with the HRD G.O.A.T. in Alonso. Just like the NL East Standings, Acuna and the Braves will be looking up at Alonso and their daddy – the Mets.
Is this MetsFan22’s new handle?
That’s been my guess
Sadly
Told ya so. Bye bye RAJ, pour one out for him!
That was some short-lived vicarious living. I hope you enjoyed that brief moment of glory.
HD is a dying breed.
Most of Pujols’ home runs will be wall scrapers.
A home run, nonetheless!
Wall scrapers in a home run contest are boring, in my opinion.
I really hope the front office talks Stanton out of participating in this idiotic exhibition. Judge is smart enough to refuse after his last Derby win left him injured for a month.
The Derby was fine before some geniuses in the Commissioner’s office got the bright idea to put it on a clock. That’s what makes it dangerous. Hitting casual BP home runs is no big deal, but going all-out to try to beat a clock is a prescription for injury.
A Baseball Prospectus article years ago that claimed to “debunk the myth” that the Derby hurts batters was an absurdly flawed study that omitted the most important data: i.e., how many swings the batter took per round. When you add that factor, the correlation between participation in the Derby and second-half declines in power is obvious. Of course it’s not a 100% correlation; every hitter has a unique swing and no two hitters respond identically to the strain.
Judge knows this from experience. He should counsel Giancarlo to stay out of it.
I think the finalists are all set and Stanton is not in the list. I understand your point, however, and agree that it’s a physical risk to second half performance. Though if I recall correctly Stanton was in the derby during the 2017 All Star Game and his second halve season performance was crazy. Almost hit 60 home runs! Now he did get edged out by Gary Sanchez in the first round so maybe that saved him much physical strain.
They should get Brad Lidge to pitch to Pujols in the Derby.
It’s an exhibition game, and an exhibition Derby. Who cares what they do with Albert–the league is trying to find a link to its own history that isn’t tainted in some way by PEDS and CBA-related acrimony, and a 2/3 cancelled season, and Albert represents happier times.
https://www.riverfronttimes.com/news/albert-pujols-accused-of-steroid-use-i-know-for-a-fact-he-was-says-jack-clark-2574633
Happier times yes. However also ragin roids times too. Last of a generation. Cano landed somewhere too. Why not include him as well.
The good news for Pujols is that somebody will serve them up to him—that’s the only way he might get a few home runs. No way he wins unless they move in the fences and give him a corked bat.
Seems to me that a corked bat would hinder, not help home run hitting. Especially in a contest where bat speed doesn’t do much matter because pitches are being lobbed. Folks need to look into what corking a bat actually does before we get another five or six if these tired jokes.
Jon Heyman claims otherwise so that means it must be true.
Pujols is hoping the home runs count toward him reaching the 700 plateau.
Alonso’s 2019 victory was laughable. He should have handed that trophy to Vladdy. Even Joc deserved it more than Alonso.
That’s a bit like saying a fighter who lands the most punches in 14 rounds and gets knocked out in the 15th should win the title.
Pujols finna summon the dad strength and win it
Pujols wins bank on it.
The extended Jeter farewell was weird, and Pinole feels like the bad photocopy version.
Crazy weird, especially when other teams started giving him gifts when he played on the road. It was surreal, especially when he was playing a team for like the first or second time in interleague play.
And Mariano Rivera’s was just as weird. I remember Mariano was given by the Rockies. In his entire career, Mariano Rivera pitched against the Rockies like twice before that final series and yet they felt obligated to give him a retirement sendoff.
But it’s just Yankees being Yankees.
It really is a form of structured batting practice, so in one sense it’s meaningless. On the other hand, it’s big business, which means it’s not meaningless. The HD gets big ratings, it gets tons of media coverage, it’s sponsored, it’s even listed on a player’s B-R page as a career accomplishment, and the winner gets $1MM for batting practice (let that sink in). Alonso made more from his two previous HD wins than he did playing 162 games of baseball. For a young player, participating and winning the Derby is lucrative. I’m surprised any player making in the minimum pay range would turn it down. Kudos to Judge for doing that every year since his 2017 win during when he wasn’t making big dollars. In his case, he knows the 2017 win came with a heavy cost. It exasperated an injury, which probably cost him an MVP and a legit chance to hit 60 HRs. It also cost his team some wins, and that is likely even more important to him. I doubt he’ll ever participate in the Derby again unless it’s at Yankee Stadium.
Based on your comments maybe they should make it like a one round with each team fielding one rookie doing a home run derby challenge from their home ballpark, and then narrow it down based from the totals.
Maybe LaRussa will be his hitting coach and they can recapture the “chemistry” from their time together.
I farted
This home run derby field makes me feel like I have no interest at all in watching. I wish they would make a skills challenge instead of a two hour home run exhibition with soft toss pitches.
HD is so unnecessary. Give them a good rest.
Looks like we’re in for a classic
Come on Austin Riley. Show them all what you can do!!!!!
My money is on Schwarbs. Here come the Schwarbombs!!
How many years has Albert Pujols been 42?
Pujous will be the first player in major league history to strike out at the home run derby
Schwarber could be the first player to strikeout during the home run derby.
Anyone else from the American League going to participate?
I thought MLB liked an even number of participants from each league.. I guess getting a complete field is more rare these days so they take whoever wants to play. Miggy should compete with Pujols signed up.
I’m in utter disbelief at how many people are getting them in a bunch over the home run derby…
NL East is taking over the HR Derby. I thought they liked an even number of participants from the AL & NL?
The AL squad hasn’t been announced.
Pujols will be the oldest player to ever participate in the derby. You never know, maybe it will get his bat going
Pujols was never the same player after he left St Louis. Yes he is old and it’s time to walk away. But the problem I see with many of these 100+ replies is it obvious that there is a lack of respect for those that paid their dues and did it for many years.
Pujols was totally disrespected by the Angels and they deserve all the bad karma they are getting. If they didn’t want him should have done something before season started. Kudos to Dodgers for understanding respect to give Albert a chance ly.
Albert has been great for the young players in St Louis especially Yepez (Baby Pujols). He knows where he stands but is having the time of his life this year with his buddies. Pujols is a Top Ten all time player and should be treated accordingly. Anyone that doesn’t understand this will never understand it. It’s called respect and he has earned it!
I don’t see how the Angels disrespected him while they continued to play a sub-replacement level player. Many teams would’ve released Pujols long before the Angels did. Even the O’s released Chris Davis. Pujols was an attendance draw and leader in the clubhouse. The Angels’ problem isn’t karma or any kind of drama, it’s Moreno’s reluctance to address starting pitching first and foremost every season.
That’s 5 from the NL right? Anyone from the AL gonna be in it this year?
Can’t believe that the best team in the national league and all star host doesn’t have a representative in the hr derby. Unreal!!!
The home run derby, next to the slam dunk contest are the 2 worst sporting events of all time
Does it matter? It’s just for fun. Take some anti-depressants and put the razor blades away, life isn’t that bad.
Maybe. I’ll be watching Raw. It’ll be more entertaining then some contest where guys put themselves in slumps for the next 6 weeks. Would rather watch pitchers throw into a speed pitch tunnel at a church picnic
Dear Julio,
your having a great first year. Congrats on all-star selection. DO NOT participate in the HR Contest.
Sincerely,
Bobby Abreu
Good luck… doesn’t the winner of the home run derby still earn a million dollars? No guarantees in baseball, I’d be trying to make the most money I could
Get out of your own head man.
Let’s be honest here, is HD that necessary?
Is baseball that necessary?
It’s a game. For some people it’s fun. Get over yourself.
Patrick Wisdom is getting the Bret Hart treatment.
Why is Soto an All-Star this year? He is 50 points off of his career average. This is a down year for him.
That’s more so a showing of how good he normally is than anything else. He’s still getting on base at a crazy amount and he’s getting hit with the power/average now.
Enough with the BP homerun derby. Get some 95 mph cheese up there and see who actually wins.
Ya, get Hader out there throwing heat. See how many they hit out.
Wait, right now everyone is hitting Hader harder
Pujols? What a joke MLB is.
A true home run derby, best of the best, would have to include Judge, Stanton, and Alvarez
They have to agree to play. They actually told Stanton he was in but to not say anything until announced. Now it appears they wanted him to commit, but they really wanted to get Seager to participate back in LA. Fine either way, but probably better not to be evasive with the players.
I vote for an old-timers wiffleball tournament to replace the HR Derby
Schwarber is going to win again. This time he might actually get a trophy.
Barry Bonds, Prince and Cecil Fielder, and Big Papi
Bring back nostalgia.
It would be nice if they just listed the names instead of going from narrative to narrative for each player. Make the list first then explain. This doesn’t read like a list, despite the deceiving title.
They should do king of diamonds each target they hit is points. and strike zone challenge
Julio Rodriguez was three months old when Pujols made his pro debut.
It’s a best case scenario for Acuna facing off against Pete in the 1st round. That way he’s knocked out early – don’t want fragile Ronny risking any more injuries!
According to my math, that makes 5 for the NL but only 3 for the AL. How are they going to do that?
The same way they did it last year. There were 5 AL contestants and 3 NL contestants.
AL: Ohtani, Perez, Olson, Mancini, Gallo
NL: Soto, Alonso, Story
They paired Olson vs Mancini in the first round.
I’m just relieved that Stanton opted out. Whew!