This year, the home run derby, who is ranked 1-2th in home runs, has changed to a way to reduce the risk of injury...Who's the contestant to watch?
Jul 11, 2024
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MLB confirmed and announced eight players participating in the home run derby on the 11th (Korea time).
Baltimore Orioles Gunner Henderson, New York Mets Pete Alonso, Philadelphia Phillies Alec Bohm, Kansas City Royals Bobby Witt Jr., Atlanta Braves Marcel Ojuna, Cleveland Guardians Jose Ramirez and Texas Rangers Adolis Garcia. Los Angeles Dodgers Teoscar Hernandez participates in the All-Star Game Home Run Festival.
This year's All-Star Game will be held at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on the 17th, and the home run derby will be held at the same place at 9 a.m. on the 16th.
This All-Star Game home run derby will be played in a different way than in previous years. Eight players do not go through the tournament to determine the winner, but eight players compete equally in the first round and the top four reach the semifinals. In addition, the batting opportunities given every round were 40 pitches, focusing on efficiency rather than speed.
From 2015 to last year, it was pointed out that the home run derby had to hit a lot of home runs at a given time, so the risk of injury was high because batters wanted to swing as much as possible. If you limit the number of pitches, not time, there is no reason to hurry, so you can swing safely even if it takes time.
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Ramirez was eliminated in the 2022 home run derby when he faced Juan Soto in the first round. Garcia met and lost Tampa Bay Rays Randy Arojana in the first round in last year's home run derby.
Among them, Henderson is the player who hit the most home runs as of this season. He is ranked third overall with 27 home runs. Ozuna then hit 24, Ramirez hit 23, followed by Hernandez with 19, Alonso with 18, Garcia with 17, Wit Jr. with 15, and spring 11.
It is regrettable that the first and second home runs are absent again this year. They are Aaron Judge (32) of the New York Yankees and Shohei Ohtani (28) of the Los Angeles Dodgers. In deciding not to participate in the home run derby early on, the two cited 'injury risk' and 'rehabilitation', respectively. Last year, Los Angeles Angels Ohtani and Atlanta Braves Matt Olson, the first and second home runs in the All-Star break, missed the home run derby at T-Mobile Park in Seattle.
Judge hit 33 home runs in the first half of 2022, but turned a blind eye to the home run derby.
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Ohtani also has one home run derby experience. In the 2021 home run derby at Coors Field, Denver, he faced Juan Soto (then the Washington Nationals) in the first round and lost 28-31 after extra time. Ohtani was eliminated in the first round, but he hit six home runs over 500 feet, setting a record for the most in a single tournament ever.
However, considering the ransom of the two players, it is highly likely that the club has dissuaded them from participating in the home run derby. Judge boasts a nine-year ransom of $360 million and Ohtani a 10-year ransom of $700 million. This year's salary is $40 million for Judge and $70 million for Ohtani ($68 million is deferred).
The total annual salary of the eight participants this time is $9.162 million, which is smaller than that of Judge and Ohtani.
jhno@sportschosun.com
