2022 Home Run Derby Thread

Derby Start: 7:00 PM
TV: ESPN, ESPN2 (Statcast-driven broadcast)
Radio: ESPN Radio

The 2022 T-Mobile Home Run Derby kicks off this evening at 7:00 as back-to-back defending-champion Pete Alonso looks to become the first participant to ever win three consecutive derbies.

As a reminder, the Home Run Derby has a seeded/tournament format these days. Here’s the field:

• (#1) Kyle Schwarber vs. (#8) Albert Pujols
• (#2) Pete Alonso vs. (#7) Ronald Acuña Jr.
• (#3) Corey Seager vs. (#6) Julio Rodriguez
• (#4) Juan Soto vs. (#5) Jose Ramirez

Schwarber leads the National League in home runs and has been on fire of late, while Pujols only has six home runs on the season and was a Commissioner’s legacy pick for the All-Star Game. He’s participating in his fifth Derby, becoming the seventh player to participate in that many.

The winner of Schwarber vs. Pujols will take on the winner of Soto vs. Ramirez. Here’s hoping that the recent Soto rumors aren’t the only topic covered during the showdown as he takes on the Twins’ divisional nemesis.

The winner of Alonso vs. Acuña Jr. will face the winner of Seager vs. Rodriguez in the second round as the Polar Bear looks to make history. Acuña has only hit eight home runs this year but missed considerable time due to injury and mashed his way to the finals a couple of years ago when he participated.

The Seager storyline, is, of course, his return to Dodger Stadium, so we’ll hear plenty about that as he takes on young Seattle phenom Julio Rodriguez.

This is an intriguing field, mostly because of Schwarber, the three-peat possibility for Alonso, and the exciting young guns in Acuña and Rodriguez.

Of course, it’s also fun to see what the varying strategies are given how much this competition has changed, with timeouts, bonuses for distance, etc.

Enjoy the derby!