July 9th 2023.
July the fourth may have been and gone, but the United States still has a holiday feel to it as the boys of summer take a mid-season break for Major League Baseball’s All-Star festivities. The game between the best players from the American and National Leagues is a fun event but it’s actually usurped by the Home Run Derby. Eight of the sport’s premier batters go head-to-head in a knockout competition, attempting to hit as many shots as possible into the stands in five minutes and advance into the next round.
The first round of the Home Run Derby is already set to be an exciting one, with four of the top six home run hitters in the regular season signing up to battle for the $100,000 first prize. New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso, a double Derby champion after victories in 2019 and 2021, is set to face off against Julio Rodriguez, last year’s runner-up despite being in his rookie season and competing against his home fans in Seattle. On the other side of the draw, Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Mookie Betts will be going up against Toronto Blue Jays’ former champion Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Rising Baltimore Orioles star Adley Rutschman, Texas Rangers’ Adolis Garcia, Tampa Bay Rays’ Randy Arozarena Jr, and Chicago White Sox slugger Luis Robert are all in the running to be crowned this year’s king of the clobbers. Robert looks to be the strongest contender, as not only is he the top American League home run hitter behind the phenomenal Shohei Ohtani with 26 regular season long balls, he’s hit nine of them since June 15th. He has immense power, boasting a 487ft home run in a post-season game against Oakland in 2020, and he’s 5/1 with bet365 to be top of the shots.
The Home Run Derby is sure to be an exciting competition and we can’t wait to see who will be crowned the champion this year. Will it be Pete Alonso, Julio Rodriguez, Mookie Betts, or Vladimir Guerrero Jr? Or will Luis Robert sweep to success in Seattle? One thing is for sure, it’s going to be an incredible show.
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