- Home
- Winners...
Winners and losers from the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby
Teoscar Hernandez became the first Dodgers player to win the MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night.
Here are our winners and losers from this year's event.
Winners: Teoscar Hernandez and Bobby Witt Jr.
Hernandez won, but both finalists deserve an ovation for the thrilling final round. Hernandez set the bar with 14 home runs, and Witt nearly matched with a deep blast that hit the outfield wall, ending his furious rally.
Loser: Pete Alonso
One of the all-time great Derby competitors, Alonso didn't bring his A-game to Texas. The two-time Home Run Derby champ (2019, 2021) entered as the favorite this year (+275) but flamed out with the second-lowest home run total of the first round (12).
Winner: Alec Bohm
The biggest long shot entering the contest, Bohm (+1800) exceeded all expectations as he took Hernandez to a swing-off in the semifinals. Bohm, the Phillies first-round pick (third overall) of the 2018 MLB Draft, leads the majors in doubles (33) but only had 11 home runs during the first half of the season. With teammates Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, the Phillies don't need Bohm to be a power hitter, but he showed he can hold his own.
Loser: Derby rules
MLB continues to make the Derby more confusing than it needs to be. The league eliminated the bracket-style tournament and reinstated a free-for-all in the first round, which was the only good thing about the format.
Players were given three minutes, or 40 batted balls, to hit home runs, followed by an untimed period with three outs to hit as many long balls as possible. And if a player hit a ball over 425 feet in the untimed period, they received a fourth out.
After that, the top four batters advanced to a bracket-style semifinal, with the top home-run hitter in the first round going against the fourth-place finisher and Nos. 2-3 squaring off in the other semifinal.
While we appreciate MLB for thinking outside the box, we long for the days when players simply had 10 outs to hit as many home runs and whoever hit the most advanced.
Winner: Jose Ramirez
The Guardians third baseman lacked the power the rest of the field possessed, but he made up for it by tying Bohm for the most home runs in the first round. Ramirez previously bowed out in the first round of the 2022 Derby in a head-to-head matchup with Yankees outfielder Juan Soto, and his 17 home runs were the fewest among all derby participants that year. He redeemed himself on Monday.
Loser: Betting odds
Alonso wasn't the only top contender to struggle. Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson, who entered with the second-best odds and the most regular-season home runs among this year's competitors (28), hit 11 home runs, the lowest of the first round.
In fact, of the four semifinalists, three had odds greater than +1000 entering the day, including Hernandez (+1100).
Winner: Bryce Harper
The two-time NL MVP didn't need to pick up a bat to steal the show. During Bohm's timeout in the first round, Harper handed him a water — sorry, wooder jug — for hydration.
Harper joined the Phillies in 2019 but knows how to speak like a true Philadelphian, as this video from The Philadelphia Inquirer, titled "How 'water became 'wooder', the evolution of the Philly accent," explains.
Loser: Ingrid Andress' "Star-Spangled Banner" rendition
Andress, a 2021 Grammy nominee for Best New Artist, started the evening with a shockingly bad performance of the national anthem. Maybe she should change her name to Francis Off Key.
At least Fergie can sleep well tonight.
Want more articles like this? Follow Yardbarker on MSN to see more of our exclusive MLB content.
More must-reads:
- Teoscar Hernandez makes Dodgers history with Home Run Derby win
- Watch: Harper's 'wooder,' Henderson's 'Scooby-Doo' kick off MLB's Home Run Derby
- The 'Home Run Derby champion' quiz
Trending slideshow: The 25 most memorable MLB All-Star Game performances (Provided by Yardbarker)
- https://www.msn.com/en-my/sports/mlb/winners-and-losers-from-the-2024-mlb-home-run-derby/ar-BB1q2TSG?ocid=00000000
Related
Veteran quarterbacks not happy with Broncos decision
Last week, the Denver Broncos announced that rookie Bo Nix would serve as the team’s starting quarterback this year as he beat out veterans Jarrett Stidham and Zach Wilson for the role. While he understands his role, that doesn’t mean he’s necessarily happy about it. During a recent press conference, Stidham was asked about the Read more... The post Veteran quarterbacks not happy with Broncos decision appeared first on Next Impulse Sports.
SportsCowboys make decision on quarterback after five interceptions
Trey Lance played all 93 snaps for the Dallas Cowboys in the team’s preseason finale against the Los Angeles Chargers, but it’s safe to say things did not go exactly according to plan as he threw five interceptions in the game, including one that was returned for a touchdown in the other direction. But despite Read more... The post Cowboys make decision on quarterback after five interceptions appeared first on Next Impulse Sports.
SportsThis young Eagles safety has played well enough to make Eagles roster: Could he get nod over James Bradberry?
Tristin McCollum might have done enough to make Eagles roster
SportsRams release OLB Ochaun Mathis, 11 others in first wave of cuts
The roster trimming has officially begun for the Los Angeles Rams. On Sunday, the team released 12 players as it works its way toward the 53-man limit by Tuesday's deadline. Among the first 12 players cut were 2023 sixth-rounder Ochaun…
SportsFever star Caitlin Clark reaches another remarkable milestone
It's honestly scary to think what kinds of numbers Caitlin Clark will put up once she's had a full professional offseason.
SportsMagic Johnson humbles Anthony Edwards for his wild comment about MJ being the only skilled old-school player
Magic Johnson subtly reminds Anthony Edwards of being too audacious despite not winning anything significant so far in his career.
SportsBMW Championship payout: How much did Keegan Bradley, the field win
Bradley won the BMW Championship and will head to Atlanta for the FedEx Cup finals. How much did he and the field win?
SportsPGA Tour official explains “outrageous” Matt Fitzpatrick ruling that enraged him at BMW Championship
Matt Fitzpatrick had a crack in his driver, but PGA Tour officials ruled that he could not replace it, which angered the Englishman.
Sports