What I Liked And Didn't Like From The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby
Some thoughts on the good and the bad from the opening night of the Midsummer Classic in Arlington...
The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby is in the books.
LA Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández made history by out-dueling Kansas city Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. in a thrilling final round.
It literally came down to one swing.
And I have some thoughts.
For me, it was an underwhelming Home Run Derby and it probably belongs more in the dud category than it does in the doozy category. That’s just my opinion.
So, I’m going to dive into some things I liked about the 2024 Home Run Derby, as well as detailing what I wasn’t so crazy about.
Let’s get underway…
THINGS I DID LIKE
The Last Minute
As I said above, the 2024 Home Run Derby was a disappointment overall. The revamped first round was boring to watch at times, and the new format certainly didn’t help out a couple of big hitters (I’ll get into that shortly). However, sometimes good things come to those who wait and, for those who stuck with the event through the bitter end, they were rewarded with a thrilling finale.
It was the final nobody expected with LA Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández taking on Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. Witt advancing that far wasn’t surprising, but the fact that Hernández - who had the second-lowest odds going in - did, was somewhat of a shock.
Despite having the odds stacked against him, Hernández rose up - just as he’s done all year with the Dodgers - and made history by becoming the first ever Dodger to win the Home Run Derby. That in itself seems crazy given how many star-studded mashers have called LA home over the years. After getting off to a slow start with just four home runs, Hernández went on a tear by ripping off seven bombs in 10 swings before launching two monster blasts in the bonus round.
Over to Witt. The Royals shortstop cranked a couple of moonshots - including one that travelled 450 feet - and he launched another bomb that looked to have tied the event, only for the ball to hit the fence and fall short. And, just like that, Hernández had defied all expectations to win the Home Run Derby with Witt falling one agonizing swing short. It was an exhilarating finale that made an otherwise dull event worth it.
New Blood
Hernández and Alec Bohm were the two overwhelming underdogs heading into Monday’s event, so it was kind of cool that one of them came out on top. Bohm put up a really good showing too, outlasting both Gunnar Henderson and two-time Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso, reaching the second round after blasting 21 homers in the opening round.
As for Hernández, who I’ve always enjoyed watching after seeing him live while playing for Toronto back in 2018, he was the story of the night. Not only did he win - and create headlines by becoming the first Dodger to secure victory in this event - but he brought a boatload of drama to the party too. He beat hometown hero Adolis GarcÃa by one home run in the first round, before needing two mammoth blasts in the bonus round to see off Bohm in the second after a swing-off. Then, after suffering a really slow start in the final, he managed to call on some late heroics again to do just enough to beat Bobby Witt Jr. in an enthralling finish.
Hernández and Bohm didn’t get a whole lot of love going into the Home Run Derby but they, along with the Texas-born rising superstar in Witt, were the stories of the night.
Bonus Round
I’m split on the changes made to the 2024 Home Run Derby, but the new and improved bonus round was a resounding success. Under the new rules, each hitter received an unlimited number of pitches until they recorded three outs. If a batter hit a home run that traveled 425 feet or more within the bonus period, then they earned a fourth out. As a result, we saw some late drama with the aforementioned Hernández blasting two moonshots in the swing-off to beat Bohm in a captivating second round. I’m all for hitters jacking up absolute mammoth shots just to stay alive. Watching Hernández send balls into orbit with the odds stacked against him and only limited lives to play with was the highlight of the night for me.
THINGS I DIDN’T LIKE
The National Anthem
Okay, I’m going to level with you here. I actually had written an entire paragraph devoted to just how bad Ingrid Andress’ performance of the National Anthem was on Monday night. But, as I was making final edits, I saw that Miss. Andress released a statement, revealing that she was drunk during her performance and has now checked herself into rehab. Nothing else needs to be said. I applaud her for her bravery in opening up and sharing that with the world, while also admitting she has a problem and needs help. I wish her nothing but the best and hope she gets all the help and support she needs. It is also another crucial reminder to just be kind to everyone, because you never know what demons they are battling in private.
Lack Of Star Power
The absence of the game’s true power hitters was felt throughout the Home Run Derby. No Aaron Judge. No Shohei Ohtani. No Juan Soto. No Elly De La Cruz, who would have been an exciting addition. Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who won the event last year, also opted not to defend his crown. As a result, we didn’t see the barrage of longballs that we normally do, especially early on. In 2023, Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman blasted 27 dingers in the first round, yet still lost. To put that into context, no hitter in the 2024 field managed more than 21 dingers in a single round.
The final round was captivating TV, but the rest of the event just felt flat and I can’t help but put that down to a lack of true big-time mashers participating. If Judge, Soto and Ohtani were all involved, I think the entire night would have been a lot more fun.
Hopefully that theory will be proved right next year.
Pete Alonso / Gunnar Henderson Flaming Out
Expanding on my above point, what didn’t help the lack of the home runs was the fact that two of the biggest names involved flamed out early. Gunnar Henderson - who I picked as my favorite to win the whole thing - hit just 11 home runs and crashed out in the first round. He struggled to find his groove and hit just four home runs over his first 16 pitches after failing to hit a dinger in his first 10 swings.
The biggest disappointment, however, was Pete Alonso. The two-time Home Run Derby champion entered Monday looking to make some history by tying Ken Griffey Jr. for the most victories in the competition with three. Instead, the slugger also struggled to settle into a rhythm, hitting just 12 home runs on the way to an early first round exit. Given that Alonso had blasted more Derby homers (195) than anyone else in the competition’s history prior to Monday, that low total was shocking to say the least. But maybe it shouldn’t have been. After all, the masher hasn’t been his usual dominant self this year. He’s hit just two home runs in the month of July and his average exit velocity has plunged to the 35th percentile. Be it uncertainty over his future with free agency looming or something else, there just seems to be something off with Alonso’s game this year. He certainly wasn’t right on Monday in an event he usually dominates.
New-Look First Round
I was excited about the fact MLB removed seeding from the first round for this year’s event. In my mind, I thought the changes would allow more fairness and would also yield a lot more action. Instead, the first round was a real slog and the new format actually made it nearly impossible for a hitter to slug between 30-40 home runs. Plus, it actually slowed the entire night down. There is no way on God’s green earth that a Home Run Derby should take three hours to complete. Overall, the amount of time it took to get through the first round, coupled with a real lack of a true power surge from any of the participants, made this a tough Home Run Derby to get through.
At least we had that thrilling finish, though.