Next week the best of Major League Baseball will descend upon the city of Seattle for the Home Run Derby on Monday and the MLB All-Star Game on Tuesday.
We don’t yet have the full list of Home Run Derby participants, but we do know for sure who won’t be there. The Braves Ronald Acuna Jr., the MVP favorite in the National League, says he will skip this event this year.
Acuna said;
“I think there are other players out there that deserve to be a part of it and be showcased.”
He did say, however, that he might participate again in the coming years.
Confirmed Home Run Derby Participants
- Julio Rodriguez – Seattle Mariners
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr. – Toronto Blue Jays
- Mookie Betts – Los Angeles Dodgers
- Randy Arozarena – Tampa Bay Rays
- Pete Alonso – New York Mets
The biggest name here is Pete Alonso, who has twice won this event (2019 and 2021) and absolutely loves participating. He will be looking to reclaim the title he lost at Dodger Stadium last year when he was knocked out in the second round by Julio Rodriguez.
Rodriguez lost in the finals last year to Juan Soto, 19-18, but this year he will have the Mariners crowd behind him, and he will be hitting in his home park.
Juan Soto has yet to confirm one way or the other on participating, and neither has current home run leader Shohei Ohtani. The Japanese star and heavy American League MVP favorite participated in the event in 2021 and was knocked out by Juan Soto.
When the full field is announced, the betting odds for the Home Run Derby will be released.
MLB All-Star Rosters
The aforementioned Ohtani headlines the American League roster, making the MLB All-Star team as both a DH and pitcher. He leads the Majors in home runs and RBI as a hitter, and he leads the American League in strikeout rate as a pitcher.
The first-place Rangers have four starters for the A.L., the Rays have two, and joining Ohtani is teammate Mike Trout.
In the National League, eight Atlanta Braves will be on the team, including three starters. The Dodgers have five players, and it’s the fourth straight year they have had at least five.
The biggest snub in the A.L. is Rays shortstop Wander Franco, an exceptional defensive player, and base stealer, and he is second in WAR to just Ohtani. At only 22, he’s going to be an MLB All-Star many times over in his career, but he should be one this year.
The biggest N.L. snub is Fernando Tatis Jr. The Padres have underperformed, and he is coming off a PED suspension, but he also ranks ninth in all of baseball in slugging, and he’s having an MLB All-Star caliber season.
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