The Major League Baseball All-Star Game aka the Midsummer Classic is finally here. And every year, around this time of the year, the spotlight is on America’s favorite pastime. Among the All-Star game comes the highly exciting Home Run Derby, which took place on July 15, 2024.
While this year’s event featured few big names, MLB’s most celebrated sluggers like Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Juan Soto chose to sit this one out. As a result, veteran sports journalist Ken Rosenthal did not shy away from calling them out.
Taking to Fair Territory, Rosenthal denounced these superstar sluggers who chose not to participate in these events for reasons other than injury and expressed his dissatisfaction with this trend.
“I don’t love it. This is important for baseball; these are showcase events, the one time of year when the sport has the spotlight on itself. There’s nothing else going on to the same extent in the major professional sports.”
Having said that, although Aaron Judge, Shohei Ohtani, and Juan Soto have opted out of participating in the Home Run Derby, they will be taking part in this year’s All-Star Game.
While the official reasons for snubbing the Home Run Derby remain undisclosed, there is speculation that Judge may be focusing on maintaining his health for the second half of the season with the New York Yankees amid a tightly contested playoff race. Likewise, Juan Soto’s absence could be attributed to a sense of caution because of his “forearm inflammation” as reported by ESPN.
The absence of Shohei Ohtani may come as somewhat unexpected. While he is on the path to recovery from Tommy John surgery, which typically sidelines pitchers for a year, it’s worth noting that the Home Run Derby specifically focuses on hitting – an area where Ohtani excels.
Moreover, the MLB insider opines how the Home Run Derby and All-Star game play a role in marketing and promoting baseball-thus, players must recognize their significance.
“It’s in the CBA that they’re supposed to be in this game if they’re healthy, but of course, we see excuses every year… These are marketing events, and players should understand their importance.”
This year, All-Star Week is running from July 14 to July 16 and it marks a major time for Major League Baseball with no other sports vying for attention. The All-Star Game brings together standout players from both the American League (AL) and National League (NL). By the way, do you happen to know who participated in this year’s Home Run Derby?
2024 Home Run Derby Participants
In the 2024 Home Run Derby, there was a mix of players and promising talents, ready to put on a show:
Representing the American League (AL):
- Adolis García, from the Texas Rangers
- Gunnar Henderson from the Baltimore Orioles
- Bobby Witt Jr. From the Kansas City Royals
- Teoscar Hernández from the Los Angeles Dodgers
Representing the National League (NL):
- Pete Alonso of the New York Mets
- Alec Bohm of the Philadelphia Phillies
- José Ramírez of the Cleveland Guardians
- Marcell Ozuna of the Atlanta Braves
This year, MLB introduced a new format- participants had three minutes or 40 pitches in each of the first two rounds followed by two minutes or 27 pitches in the final round. Players are typically selected based on their season’s home run statistics- ensuring that only top power hitters compete in this event.
Teoscar Hernández, from the Los Angeles Dodgers, emerged as the winner in 2024-impressing the spectators with his power and consistent performance. Also, Hernández is the first Dodger to win the Home Run Derby title.
