Who’s ready for some MLB All-Star Home Run Derby excitement? The most anticipated event of the summer is heading to Hollywood with some of the biggest names in the sport set to take aim at the Dodger Stadium bleachers on Monday, July 18 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN)
With the first participant in this summer’s eight-player field unveiled Monday, one thing is clear: Everyone will be trying to keep up with back-to-back derby champion Pete Alonso.
As the remaining contestants are announced heading into Thursday’s Home Run Derby bracket selection show (7 p.m. ET on ESPN), we’ll break down each player chosen — and his case for taking the belt from the Mets slugger known as The Polar Bear.
Announced field: Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña Jr.
Play: ESPN’s Derby Pick’em
Pete Alonso
2022 HR total: 23 | Longest: 447 feet
Why he’s the home run king: Alonso has participated in two All-Star Home Run Derbies during his MLB career and twice ended the night as champion — and twice won a $1 million prize for his efforts.
In 2019, Alonso took down Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in an epic derby battle by blasting a total of 57 long balls in Cleveland. When the event returned in 2021, Alonso outslugged the field at Coors Field in Denver, topping Trey Mancini in the final round and hitting 74 total home runs — including 20 that traveled at least 475 feet.
After his 2021 win, Alonso said: “I think I’m the best power hitter on the planet. Being able to showcase that and really put on a fun display for fans, it’s truly a dream come true for me. When I was younger, my parents actually let me stay up past my bedtime to watch this.”
Clearly all those nights staying up watching paid off for the Mets slugger.
Derby fun fact: Alonso joined Ken Griffey Jr. (1998-99) and Yoenis Céspedes (2013-14) as the only back-to-back champions in derby history.
2022 home runs: 8 | Longest: 464 feet
Why he could take down Alonso: There might not be another player in this year’s field who plays with as much flair as Acuna does — and that could go a long ways in front of a star-studded crowd in L.A. While Acuña is known for his all-around skills and Alonso more for his slugging alone, their career home run totals show that the difference in power between the two NL East stars isn’t as big as you might think:
Acuna — 113 HR, 448 games
Alonso — 129 HR, 455 games
Why he might not: After coming back from an ACL injury suffered last July earlier this season, Acuña’s power stroke has been the last part of his game to return. So far in 2022, he has hit just eight in 53 games after hitting 24 long balls in 82 games before his season ended last summer.
Derby fun fact: Acuña appeared in the 2019 home run derby, eliminating Josh Bell in the first round before falling to, you guessed it, Pete Alonso in the semifinals. Acuna hit 19 home runs in the round, before Alonso hit 20 to move to the finals.