Pete Alonso is hoping to make history in Los Angeles as he attempts to become just the second player to win the MLB Home Run Derby a third time. However, he's likely to encounter plenty of stiff opposition from young bashers Ronald Acuna Jr. and Juan Soto. Show
All eyes will be on Los Angeles tonight as Major League Baseball kicks its All-Star Game festivities into high gear with the 2022 Home Run Derby. The eagerly anticipated event will feature eight of the game's most prolific sluggers, including two-time defending champion Pete Alonso. It's no surprise that Alonso, who has already hit 24 dingers this season, has the best Home Run Derby odds as a +200 favorite to win this must-see event. Let's examine the latest odds and break down the field for what should be a star-studded show at Dodger Stadium with a top prize of $1 million on the line. Odds to win the Home Run Derby
Odds courtesy of DraftKings on July 18, 2022. MLB Home Run Derby FavoritesPete Alonso, New York Mets (+200)
Alonso may not lead the major in home runs (that honor belongs to Aaron Judge), but he is the reigning two-time champ, and his exploits on baseball's biggest stage bear revisiting. The Mets first baseman bested Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in 2019 by hitting 23 taters in the final round, including a 458-foot bomb with 1:12 to go in regulation. The 2020 event was canceled due to the pandemic, but Alonso came roaring back in 2021 by hitting 51 home runs in the first two rounds, and 74 overall. His longest was a 509-footer that instantly brought fans to their feet.
Alonso has massive power and gets a lot of loft on the ball, making him impossible to overlook as he attempts to become the second player since Ken Griffey Jr. to win this event three times and the first to win it three consecutive times. Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies (+330)
The more things change, the more they stay the same. Schwarber may have found a new home in Philadelphia this season, but the 29-year-old slugger is still crushing balls at a prodigious rate. His longest bomb of the season occurred on April 20, when he took a juicy German Marquez offering 468 feet to the upper deck. It remains the third-longest home run hit in the big leagues this year.
Schwarber ranks sixth in the league in average exit velocity and second in barrels and has the kind of go-big or go-home mentality tailor-made for this kind of spectacle. Juan Soto, Washington Nationals (+550)
Soto has been in the news more for his contract negotiations — and his surprise appearance as a potential blockbuster trade candidate — than perhaps his play on the field in 2022. Such is the life of a superstar playing for an otherwise awful team like this iteration of the Washington Nationals. Nevertheless, Soto is still one of the best hitters in the game despite what his .250 batting average may suggest at first blush. Soto still walks far more frequently than he strikes out (20.1% vs. 13.7%) and appears well on his way to surpass his previous career-high in home runs (34 in 2019). — The Athletic MLB (@TheAthleticMLB) July 17, 2022 Soto opens the bracket against Jose Ramirez and will draw either Kyle Schwarber or Albert Pujols in the second round. As he pursues a record-setting contract, he might be in line to put on a show. Picks for 2022 Home Run DerbyPrediction: Pete Alonso to win (+200) Look, while it's much more fun to target a long shot or to get creative with a pick, it's hard to argue against the chalk selection here. Alonso is built for this competition and has a proven track record at the event. He also legitimately loves the derby. Where other players don't go back for seconds, or claim it messes up their swing and approach, Alonso relishes the opportunity to go out and wallop dingers for a cheering crowd. "I don't think anyone has more fun than I do, especially when it comes to this event," Alonso said when he announced he would re-up for a third time, according to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo. "I'm just really excited for it." Former Mets bench coach Dave Jauss will once again be in charge of serving up hittable pitches for the slugger after doing so in last year's Home Run derby. Dark horse pick: Julio Rodriguez (+1,000) As fun as it would be to see Albert Pujols overcome the odds and win from the eighth seed, he will have to overcome Kyle Schwarber in the opening round — when everyone is fresh — to do so. Instead, we're going with Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez at +1,000 as our dark horse selection. Putting too much stock on in-game power is a mistake. In 2011, a year after blasting 54 home runs and during a season where he'd finish with 43, Jose Bautista was eliminated from the opening round of the Home Run Derby after hitting just four, besting just Rickie Weeks and Matt Kemp. Joey Bats would have better results down the road but it was not to be that year. Rodriguez has game power, as evidenced by his 16 home runs in 90 games this season, but he's also been prepping hard for this event. Prior to Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field, the rookie phenom performed a mock derby where he smoked a ridiculous 37 home runs in four minutes, according to Ryan Divish of the Seattle Times.
Franmy Pena, a trainer/scout in the Dominican Republic, threw to Rodriguez and will do so again on Monday. Pena helped Rodriguez sign with his first academy at 14, as well, per Divish. Rodriguez faces Corey Seager, who has also never appeared in a Home Run Derby, in the first round. With the comfort Rodriguez has with Pena and his prep work, I like his chances to get past the Rangers shortstop. He'll likely have to take on Alonso in Round 2, but he's going to have to climb that mountain at some point anyway in order to win. Picks made on Sunday, July 17 at 9:00 a.m. ET. Odds to reach the Home Run Derby final
Odds courtesy of DraftKings on July 18, 2022. Weather reportIt should be a gorgeous night in Los Angeles on Monday, with the temperature expected to hover around 84 degrees for the start of the Derby. The forecast is calling for a sunny and mostly clear sky. The near-perfect baseball weather should only help the hitters and if the wind (with gusts of 6 mph expected) is blowing out, it's only going to aid them further. MLB Home Run Derby FAQNew York Mets 1B Pete Alonso is favored to win for the third straight year at +200. Pete Alonso won the 2021 Home Run Derby after swatting 23 dingers in the finals against Trey Mancini. Since MLB first brought the Home Run Derby to All-Star festivities in 1985, Ken Griffey Jr. has won the event on three separate occasions (1994, 1998, 1999). Pete Alonso, Yoenis Cespedes, and Prince Fielder have each won twice. The 2022 Home Run Derby will be held at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, which is also the site of the All-Star Game. Pages related to this topicWho is favored Home Run Derby?A look at the Home Run Derby odds on FanDuel Sportsbook shows two-time defending champion Pete Alonso as the favorite. Alonso is also +185 against the entire field, who you can bet to win and beat Alonso at -250 odds.
Who has hit the longest home run in 2022?Cron records MLB's longest HR of 2022 with 504-foot blast. Rockies first baseman C.J. Cron hit the longest home run of the MLB season Friday night, a 504-foot shot through the mist at Coors Field.
What was Juan Soto's odds to win the Home Run Derby?Soto had +600 odds to win the event at SI Sportsbook early in the day and moved to +550 odds.
Who hit the most home runs in the Home Run Derby 2021?Winner Pete Alonso of the New York Mets tied his own record for most home runs hit in the final round with 23. He also broke the record for most home runs hit in the first round with 35, surpassing Vladimir Guerrero Jr.'s total of 29 from 2019.
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Home Run Derby first round predictions
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