2019 MLB Home Run Derby: Time, Format, Predictions

For the first time, $1 million will be awarded to the winner of the MLB’s Home Run Derby tonight in Cleveland. There has been plenty of excitement on the eve of the MLB All-Star Game over the years, and tonight is arguably the most entertaining part of the All-Star festivities after Major League Baseball made it so the All-Star Game does not determine homefield advantage in the World Series.

 

Time: 8:00 PM ET

Place: Progressive Field, Cleveland

Channel: ESPN

 

Bracket

 

*1) Matt Chapman, Athletics (21 home runs)

8) Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays (8 home runs)

 

4) Alex Bregman, Astros (23 home runs)

5) Joc Pederson, Dodgers (20 home runs)

 

2) Pete Alonso, Mets (30 home runs)

7) Carlos Santana, Indians (19 home runs)

 

3) Josh Bell, Pirates (27 home runs)

6) Ronald Acuna, Braves (21 home runs)

 

*Brewers star Christian Yelich backed out of the Home Run Derby with a back issue and was replaced by Chapman.

 

 

Format

 

The derby format is straightforward, with three head-to-head single-elimination rounds in a bracket system. The higher seed (lower in terms of number) always hits second, so they know how many homers they’ll need to hit to advance or win.

 

Each round is four minutes long, and batters can stop the clock to get a short break via timeouts. In the first two rounds, players get one 45-second timeout. In the final round, players get two timeouts: one for 45 seconds and one for 30 seconds. However, players can earn 30 seconds of “bonus time” for hitting two home runs over 440 feet.

 

If there is a tie in any round, there will be a 60-second swing-off with no timeouts or bonus time. If the batters remain tied after the mini 60-second round, the players take turns with three untimed swings in row until one batter hits more than another in a three-swing span.

 

 

 

Predictions

 

Ben Jackson: Josh Bell

Progressive Field is pretty even in the outfield, and I like that Josh Bell hits the ball to all areas of the field. Also, 13 of Bell’s homers have come down either line—including two to direct left field while batting left-handed, so he can put it out to anywhere. Bell can go either side, but it’s easy to envision him catching fire from the left side and peppering the 325-foot right field.

 

Luke Randolph: Ronald Acuna

Lefties seem to have the advantage in any home run derby no matter the ballpark, but it’d be fun to have the two youngest guys—Vlad Guerrero Jr. and Ronald Acuna—in the final round. Acuna has the benefit of getting advice from teammate Freddie Freeman on how to approach the derby, and he obviously has the huge swing to win it.

 

David Chappine: Pete Alonso

I think the Home Run Derby is wide-open this year, and Carlos Santana using the energy from his home crowd (like Bryce Harper did last year in Washington) shouldn’t be discounted, even with the lowest odds to win. However, Pete Alonso has shown massive power as a rookie this season, and he or Josh Bell should probably be the favorite with Christian Yelich out. I’ll go with Alonso having the energy to build on a historical rookie campaign.

 

Dylan Chappine: Josh Bell

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. could make a run as the No. 8 seed with Christian Yelich dropping out, but I think Josh Bell will have the same raw power with more stamina in a three-round tournament. Plus, Bell has the benefit of being a switch hitter, so we could even see him flip if he gets tired or hits a cold streak.