Ahead of tomorrow’s 2018 MLB All-Star Game, eight players will compete in tonight’s Home Run Derby to begin the celebration in Washington D.C. at Nationals Park. The players are seeded by number of home runs hit this season, and the field includes Nationals superstar Bryce Harper, who previously promised to participate in the derby if he was named an All-Star starter. Here’s the entire eight-man field:
1. Jesus Aguilar, Brewers (24 home runs)
2. Bryce Harper, Nationals (23 home runs)
3. Max Muncy, Dodgers (22 home runs)
4. Alex Bregman, Astros (20 home runs)
5. Kyle Schwarber, Cubs (18 home runs)
6. Javier Baez, Cubs (19 home runs)
7. Freddie Freeman, Braves (16 home runs)
8. Rhys Hoskins, Phillies (14 home runs)
Contest Rules
Bracket
The home run derby is a tournament bracket set-up with one-on-one matchups each round determining who advances (single elimination). So the first-round matchups are Aguilar-Hoskins, Harper-Freeman, Muncy-Baez, and Bregman-Schwarber.
Timing
-Each round is four minutes per batter; they can go any pace they want within the four minutes.
-The round starts when the first pitch is released; and the round ends when the clock hits zero, but a home run will count if a pitch was released before then.
Scoring
-If the second batter passes the first batter in their matchup, the second batter will stop and advance to the next round instead of continuing.
-If there is a tie in any round, there will be a 60-second swing-off round; if both players are still tied after the additional 60-second round, there will be three-swing swing-offs until a winner is decided.
Bonus Time
-If a player hits two home runs over 440 feet during their round, they get 30 seconds of bonus time.
Time outs
-For each of the first two rounds, batters have on 45-second time out they can call at any time in the four-minute
-In the final round, batters have two time outs: a 45-second time out and a 30-second time out.
Predictions
Luke Randolph: Bregman over Harper
Ben Jackson: Harper over Aguilar
David Chappine: Hoskins over Muncy
Dylan Chappine: Hoskins over Harper
Harper easy
I’ll probably watch this year.
Let’s goo
Harper probably. He has the swing.
Schwarber broke hearts
What a show