For a second consecutive year, the Los Angeles Dodgers will not have a participant in the annual Home Run Derby. Freddie Freeman and Trea Turner were potential invites, but both declined.
This year’s event still figures to be entertaining as it features some of the most notable sluggers in all of baseball. Brackets in the first round were seeded based on 2022 home run totals leading up to the announcement of the participants last week.
Ties were broken by awarding the higher seed to the player who reached his current home run total first.
The field of competitors includes National League home run leader Kyle Schwarber. He concluded the period for which the bracket was determined with 28 home runs and heads into the contest as the No. 1 seed.
Schwarber will face Albert Pujols, who is making a fifth career appearance in the Home Run Derby. The 11-time All-Star earned the No. 8 seed after slugging six home runs in the first half of the season.
Two-time defending Home Run Derby champion Pete Alonso was awarded the No. 2 seed after hitting 23 home runs and attempts to become the first player in MLB history to win the Derby three consecutive years.
Alonso will face Ronald Acuña Jr. in the first round, who claimed the No. 7 seed with eight home runs. The Atlanta Braves star is appearing in his second Derby after advancing to the semifinals in 2019, where he was defeated by Alonso.
Corey Seager earned the No. 3 seed after hitting 23 home runs in the first half. He is participating in his second Home Run Derby after competing with the Dodgers as a rookie in 2016.
Seager faces rookie phenom Julio Rodríguez, who claimed the No. 6 seed with 15 home runs. He will become the seventh player in Seattle Mariners history to compete in the Home Run Derby.
Juan Soto is the No. 4 seed after hitting 19 home runs in the first half. It’s his second career Derby appearance after advancing to the semifinals in Colorado last year, where he was bested by Alonso.
Soto will be matched up against José Ramirez, who claimed the No. 5 seed with 17 home runs. Ramirez looks to become the first player in Cleveland’s franchise history to win the event.
Home Run Derby rules, broadcast info & start time
Each of the participants will have five minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. Winners of the first round matchups will advance to the semifinals, and then the two semifinal winners will meet in the final round.
Hitters can earn a 30-second bonus for two home runs hit over 440 feet. A 45-second timeout is allowed for each player in every round.
The 2022 T-Mobile Home Run Derby will be held on Monday, July 18, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, and broadcast live by ESPN, beginning at 5 p.m. PT.
In addition to coverage on ESPN, the Derby will be available in Spanish on ESPN Deportes, as well as ESPN2, which will offer a Statcast-driven alternate viewing experience for the Derby alongside the traditional telecast. The Derby is also available on ESPN Radio, Univision Radio and the ESPN App.
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