Major League Baseball has once again changed the Home Run Derby format. The clock will be eliminated this year and the Derby will go back to a swing-based format, according to The Athletic. MLB has not yet announced the change. The Home Run Derby is scheduled for Monday, July 13, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.
The Home Run Derby will remain three rounds. Here is the new format:
First round
- Eight players take 20 swings each.
- If they homer on their 20th swing, they can continue swinging until they make an out.
- Ties broken by longest home run distance.
- Top four home run totals advance. Those four players are seeded 1-4 based on their homer totals.
Just so it's clear, if a player hits a home run on his 20th swing, he then earns what amounts to a 21st swing. And if he hits a home run on his 21st swing, he gets a 22nd swing. On and on he can go until he makes an out.
Second round
- Head-to-head matchups based on seeding: No. 1 vs. No. 4 and No. 2 vs. No. 3
- Four players take 15 swings each.
- If they homer on their 15th swing, they can continue swinging until they make an out.
- Ties broken with three extra swings each.
The two winners of the head-to-head matchups advance to the final.
Finals
- Two players take 15 swings each.
- If they homer on their 15th swing, they can continue swinging until they make an out.
- Ties broken with three extra swings each.
The Home Run Derby has undergone many format changes over the years. Last year, players were given three minutes or 40 pitches (whichever came first) to hit as many home runs as possible in the first round. The clock was first introduced in 2015 and led to some dramatic finishes, including Todd Frazier's last-second win in that first year.
Although the clock added a level of drama, it also created injury concerns. Players griped about feeling rushed and fatigued, and when you swing a bat while fatigued, you risk pulling a muscle. Luis Robert Jr. injured his calf during the 2023 Home Run Derby. He did not miss any regular-season games, though it was an injury scare that arose from the Derby.
Pace of play is a concern with the return to a clock-less format. There could be times it turns into the "take pitches" Derby as players rest and catch their breath. That's a poor viewing experience for fans, but ultimately the best and safest thing for players. If this new format turns the Home Run Derby into a slog, the format could be changed again next year.
Home Run Derby participants are usually announced the week before the Derby itself, though players will often "leak" the news themselves. Here is our dream Home Run Derby field. Seattle Mariners star Cal Raleigh won last year's Home Run Derby.
