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About MLB Home Run Derby
The MLB Home Run Derby is baseball stripped down to its most watchable act: pure power, no defense, no strategy beyond swinging hard. Eight of the sport's premier sluggers take aim at the outfield wall with slow tosses from coaches crouched behind a protective screen, and every swing is built for distance. The contest falls on the Monday before the MLB All-Star Game each July, which makes Derby tickets the opening act of All-Star week and turns the host ballpark into the center of the baseball world for a night. Since the first edition in 1985, the formula has barely needed fixing.
The event's roots stretch back further than the contest itself, to a 1960 television series called Home Run Derby that featured Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle and Willie Mays. Major League Baseball launched its own version in 1985, with Dave Parker of the Cincinnati Reds claiming the first crown. The format has been reworked repeatedly since, evolving from a five-outs-per-inning setup into multi-round and eventually bracket-style competition, and the power numbers have grown right along with it. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. smashed 91 home runs in the 2019 Derby, and Julio Rodríguez set the single-round mark with 41 in 2023.
Part of the enduring appeal is how relaxed it all feels. Hitters can wear a plain cap instead of a helmet, many flip it backwards, and the event traditionally begins at sunset with the ballpark glowing in the July evening light. Specially marked balls add a charity angle, with big home runs off them sending money to national causes. It is batting practice transformed into a genuine title fight, and the crowd treats every monstrous drive like a playoff walk-off. For fans weighing MLB Home Run Derby tickets against the rest of the summer calendar, the Derby holds up as one of the most highlight-packed nights of the baseball year.
What is the MLB Home Run Derby?
Who holds the MLB Home Run Derby records?
- Most home runs in a single Derby: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. set the mark with 91 in 2019, including a 40-homer round.
- Most home runs in one round: Julio Rodríguez set the record with 41 in the first round in 2023.
- Most career Derby home runs: Pete Alonso amassed 207 across five appearances from 2019 through 2024, the highest total in Derby history.
- A round for the ages: Josh Hamilton hit a then-record 28 in one round in 2008, stringing together 13 consecutive homers with seven traveling over 500 feet.
Who has won the most MLB Home Run Derbies?
- Prince Fielder won in 2009 with the Milwaukee Brewers and again in 2012 with the Detroit Tigers.
- Yoenis Céspedes went back-to-back in 2013 and 2014 with the Oakland Athletics.
- Pete Alonso took titles in 2019 and 2021 with the New York Mets.
What are the most memorable moments in MLB Home Run Derby history?
- Josh Hamilton in 2008: His 28-homer round at the old Yankee Stadium included 13 consecutive blasts and seven that traveled over 500 feet, and the telecast drew 9.1 million viewers, one of the biggest Derby audiences ever.
- Giancarlo Stanton in 2016: Stanton totaled 61 home runs to beat Todd Frazier in the final, a mark that stood as the Derby record until Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit 91 in 2019.
- Shohei Ohtani in 2021: Ohtani became the first pitcher and the first Japanese player to compete in the Derby.
- Bryce Harper in 2018: Harper won at Nationals Park, delivering the crown for the Washington Nationals in front of his home crowd.
Why do fans love the MLB Home Run Derby?
- A sunset spectacle: The Derby traditionally starts at sunset, and hitters often skip the batting helmet and flip their caps backwards instead.
- Charity balls: Home runs off the magenta T-Mobile Ball have triggered $10,000 donations to Team Rubicon since 2014, continuing a giving tradition that dates to the gold-ball era from 2005 to 2013.
- The All-Star week opener: The Derby lands on the Monday night before the MLB All-Star Game, kicking off baseball's midsummer showcase in the host city.
- A broadcasting tradition: ESPN carried the event from its first national telecast in 1993, and Chris Berman's "Back back back...Gone!" call became the soundtrack of Derby night before the event moved to Netflix in 2026.
Where can I buy MLB Home Run Derby tickets?
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