2022 MLB Home Run Derby Odds, Preview
The biggest stars in baseball are headed to the City of Angels for the 2022 MLB All-Star festivities. The All-Star game between the American League and National League is set for Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium, but the highlight of the week will be Monday’s Home Run Derby.
Scheduled for an 8 p.m. ET start time, the derby will be a single-elimination bracket with three rounds for each hitter. The winner of Schwarber vs. Puljos will face the winner of Soto vs. Ramirez. On the other side of the bracket, the winner of Alonso vs. Acuna takes on the winner of Seager vs. Rodriguez.
No. 1 Kyle Schwarber (PHI) vs. No. 8 Albert Puljos (STL)
In his first season with the Phillies, Kyle Schwarber has hit 29 home runs, which leads the NL and is second in the majors behind Aaron Judge. Schwarber is set to hit the 30-homer plateau for the fourth time in his career. Over the past 162 games dating back to May 2021, Schwarber has gone deep 52 times. This will be his second derby after hitting 55 total homers at Nationals Park in 2018 before falling to Bryce Harper in the final round. Schwarber has 10 career home runs of at least 450, feet including a career-high of 473 feet.
At 42-years-old, Albert Puljos will be the oldest player ever to compete in the Home Run Derby. Puljos isn’t expected to do much damage, but it’s a return to the big stage for the formerly dangerous slugger. He has six home runs this season and has homered twice since July 10, snapping a drought dating back to May 23. Puljos is fourth all-time with 685 home runs, 12 short of passing Alex Rodriguez. He has 71 career Derby homers in four previous appearances, with his best result being a second-place finish in 2003.
No. 2 Pete Alonso (NYM) vs. No. 7 Ronald Acuna Jr. (ATL)
Pete Alonso is looking to make history by becoming just the second player to win three Derby titles along with Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. Alonso set a single-round record in 2021, going deep 35 times. He sits fifth in the majors this season with 24 home runs, putting him on pace to hit 30 long balls for the third consecutive season, excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 season. Since his MLB debut in 2019, Alonso has 44 homers of at least 420 feet, second only to Jorge Soler.
Don’t sleep on Ronald Acuna Jr. in this event. A late start to the season because of a torn ACL last year has limited Acuna to just eight home runs in 2022, but he’s a power hitter who leads the majors in average home run distance in 2022 at 437 feet (among players with more than one homer). This is his second appearance in the Derby. Acuna hit 44 homers in the 2019 Derby, but lost to Alonso in the second round.
No. 3 Corey Seager (TEX) vs. No. 6 Julio Rodriguez (SEA)
Corey Seager sits tied for ninth in the majors with 22 home runs, putting him on pace to hit 40 homers in 2022. The former Dodger is fifth among active players (and 19th all-time) in home runs at Dodgers Stadium with 59. This is Seager’s second appearance in the Derby. He also competed in 2016 during his Rookie of the Year season. His 15 home runs in the 2016 Derby was the third-highest total of the first round, although he was eliminated by Mark Trumbo. Seager’s longest career homer is a 464-footer at Chase Field last September.
Julio Rodriguez didn’t hit his first homer this season until his 21st game, but he has 15 home runs since May 15, eighth-most in the majors. The rookie’s 16 career home runs ties Evan Longoria in 2008 for third-fewest for any Derby competitor. Only Vladimir Guerro Jr., who had eight in 2019, and Kris Bryant, who had 12 in 2015, had fewer career homers. Rodriguez is the 14th rookie to compete in the Derby and if he wins, he would be just the third rookie to ever do so. His first home run was 450 feet, the third-longest by a rookie in 2022 and the longest Mariner homer of the season.
No. 4 Juan Soto (WSH) vs. No. 5 Jose Ramirez (CLE)
Batting .250 so far this season, Juan Soto is having a down-year, although his 20 home runs is the sixth-most among outfielders in the majors. Soto has been on a tear in July, batting .425 with five homers and 10 RBIs. Sitting at 117 career home runs, the 23-year-old is on pace to surpass his career-high of 34 long balls, set in 2019. Soto smashed 46 homers in his Derby debut last year, defeating Shohei Ohtani in the first round before falling to eventual champion Alonso in the second round. He also set a Derby record with a 520-footer in 2021.
Jose Ramirez leads the American League with 75 RBIs and has 19 home runs, although he’s only hit six since June 1. In Ramirez’ first four seasons in the majors he hit just 19 long balls, but he’s slugged 163 since 2017, which ties him with Giancarlo Stanton for the eighth-most in baseball over that time. Ramirez will also need to decide which side of the plate to hit from. He has only hit three home runs as a righty this year compared to 16 as a lefty. Ramirez has a career-high home run distance of 429 feet, set last season.