The 2024 House Run Derby is quick approaching and baseball’s midsummer energy spectacle can have a brand new format this season on high of an amazing assortment of expertise. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. received the House Run Derby in Seattle’s T-Cell Park final yr. Right here is all the pieces you should find out about this yr’s House Run Derby in Arlington, Texas, together with who’s in and who’s out now that the sector of eight contestants is ready. 

Methods to watch

• Date: Monday, July 15 | Time: 8 p.m. ET
• Location: Globe Life Subject (Arlington, Texas)
• TV: ESPN | Stay stream: fubo (strive at no cost)

New format

The House Run Derby has gone by means of many codecs through the years and there will likely be a brand new one in impact in 2024. Gone are head-to-head matchups within the first spherical. As a substitute, all eight individuals will compete towards one another within the first spherical, and 4 will advance. Here is how the brand new format works:

First spherical: All eight gamers get three minutes or 40 pitches, whichever comes first, plus one timeout. The 4 main residence run hitters advance. Ties are damaged utilizing the longest residence run distance. After the preliminary three minutes or 40 pitches, every participant will get three bonus outs, the place they proceed hitting till three outs are recorded. Hitters can earn a fourth bonus out with a 425-foot homer in bonus time. This provides anybody who’s trailing an opportunity to catch up as a result of they’ll proceed hitting homers in bonus time till they run out of outs.

Semifinals: The 4 remaining gamers are seeded 1-4 utilizing first spherical residence run totals, then it is 1 vs. 4 and a pair of vs. 3 in head-to-head matchups. It is once more three minutes or 40 pitches with one timeout. The identical bonus time guidelines apply.

Finals: The ultimate two gamers now have two minutes or 27 pitches with one timeout, and the identical bonus time guidelines. The participant with probably the most homers wins.

Lately, the eight gamers have been seeded 1-8 utilizing regular-season residence run totals, then there have been head-to-head matchups and a single-elimination event to determine the House Run Derby. There was a time restrict (three minutes within the first and second spherical, two minutes within the finals) however no pitch restrict. Final yr, no participant noticed fewer than 43 pitches in a spherical, so the brand new 40-pitch restrict will pace issues up and put a premium on effectivity (i.e. residence runs per pitch).

Dedicated

On June 30, Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson turned the primary participant to decide to the 2024 House Run Derby. The 23-year-old wunderkind is on tempo to change into the second 50-homer shortstop in baseball historical past, becoming a member of Alex Rodriguez (52 in 2001 and 57 in 2002). This will likely be Henderson’s first House Run Derby look. Two O’s have received the House Run Derby beforehand: Corridor of Famer Cal Ripken Jr. (1991) and Miguel Tejada (2004).

Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm on July 5 turned the second batsman and first Nationwide League entrant to decide to the Derby. This season, Bohm, 27, at this writing leads the NL in RBI and the majors in doubles. He is on tempo to return in at round 20 homers for the season. That is not a very lofty whole for a Derby participant, however Bohm does hit the ball pretty onerous with a better-than-average charge of fly balls. He’ll attempt to change into the third Phillies participant to win the House Run Derby. Beforehand, Bobby Abreu received it in 2005 after which Ryan Howard in 2006. 

New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso turned the third entrant to decide to the Derby simply hours after being chosen to his fourth profession All-Star Recreation. Alonso is as seasoned as a Derby contestant may be, having beforehand received the 2019 and 2021 competitions. This will likely be Alonso’s fifth Derby total. He was eradicated within the first spherical final summer time as a part of a head-to-head battle with Mariners star Julio Rodríguez.

On July 8, Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. announced he will participate in this year’s Home Run Derby. Witt, the No. 2 decide within the 2019 draft, broke out with 30 homers and 49 steals final season, and he is on tempo to place up comparable numbers this yr. He is without doubt one of the recreation’s high energy/pace threats and easily one of the vital dynamic gamers in baseball. Witt would be the first Royals participant within the House Run Derby since Salvador Perez in 2021. No Royal has ever received the occasion.

Braves slugger Marcell Ozuna will likely be a part of the House Run Derby, it was introduced on July 8. Ozuna has been top-of-the-line hitters in baseball this season and actually since final Could, when his torrid scorching streak started. He would be the first Braves participant apart from Ronald Acuña Jr. to take part within the House Run Derby since Freddie Freeman in 2018. No Courageous has ever received the House Run Derby.

Guardians third baseman and philosopher-king José Ramírez on July 9 dedicated to being a part of the 2024 House Run Derby area. This will likely be Ramírez’s second derby. He beforehand took half in 2022, however an undisclosed-at-the-time thumb harm performed a number one function in his first-round exit. With 239 profession homers to his credit score, the switch-hitting Ramírez has lengthy been one of many recreation’s high energy threats. He presently has 23 residence runs for this season. No Cleveland participant has ever received the derby.

Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia was introduced because the seventh member of the Derby area. He’ll be the hometown favourite, because the All-Star Recreation will likely be hosted at his residence park in Arlington, Texas. Garcia additionally partook in final yr’s Derby, shedding within the first spherical to Randy Arozarena. Garcia has homered 17 instances in his first 87 video games this season.

Teoscar Hernández was introduced as the ultimate Derby entrant on July 10. Hernández has by no means competed beforehand despite the fact that his 147 residence runs from 2018-23 have been a top-25 mark in baseball. This season — his first with the Dodgers — Hernández has hit 19 residence runs by means of his first 90 video games performed. 

Not collaborating

Regardless of main the game in residence runs, Yankees star Aaron Decide will as soon as once more go on the House Run Derby. He has not participated in it since successful the 2017 occasion as a rookie. Decide has stated he’ll do the House Run Derby once more when the All-Star Recreation returns to New York, in any other case it does not sound like one thing he’s desperate to do. New York final hosted the All-Star Recreation in 2013, when it was at Citi Subject. The Yankees final hosted the All-Star Recreation in 2008, the ultimate yr of the previous Yankee Stadium.

On July 1, Astros masher Yordan Alvarez stated the House Run Derby is “one thing I am not tremendous motivated to do at this second,” in accordance with The Athletic. Alvarez has slugged 30-plus residence runs every of the final three years and he is on tempo to do it once more in 2024. He has by no means participated within the House Run Derby and no Astros participant has ever received it, both. 

Just like Decide, his Yankees teammate, Juan Soto will skip the House Run Derby this season. “No, not this yr,” he instructed Newsday on July 4. Soto received the 2022 House Run Derby and superior to the second spherical in 2021. That is his free agent yr, in fact, and Soto had slightly forearm harm scare final month. He has an terrible lot on the road this season. It is no shock then that Soto is passing on the House Run Derby. No have to assume the harm danger.

Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani initially stated he wish to take his hacks within the House Run Derby, although he is since indicated that is unlikely on account of final September’s elbow surgical procedure. “I am in the course of my rehab development, so it isn’t going to seem like I will be collaborating,” he stated on July 2. Ohtani has participated within the House Run Derby as soon as earlier than. He was eradicated in a first-round tiebreaker by Juan Soto in 2021.