The 2025 Home Run Derby has its first participant as Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. announced he intends to compete in the annual competition.
Acuña missed the Braves’ first 49 games of the season while recovering from a left knee injury that ended his 2024 campaign early. He has been fantastic at the plate through 30 games this season, hitting .383/.500/.682 with five doubles, nine home runs and 18 RBI.
This year marks Acuña’s third time participating in the Home Run Derby, and he is attempting to become the first Braves player to win the event. Last season’s contest saw first-time winners in regard to both player and team, with Los Angeles Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernández taking home the hardware.
With the Braves hosting the 2025 All-Star Game at Truist Park, Acuña could be the first player to win at his home ballpark since Bryce Harper did so in 2018 at Nationals Park. In total there have been three players to ever win the Derby in his home stadium.
Todd Frazier also accomplished the feat in 2015 at Great American Ballpark as a member of the Cincinnati Reds, and Ryne Sandberg of the Chicago Cubs did the same at Wrigley Field in 1990.
Ronald Acuña Jr.’s history in Home Run Derby
Acuña made his Home Run Derby debut in 2019. He hit 25 homers in the first round to advance past Josh Bell of the Pittsburg Pirates, but was eliminated by New York Mets’ Pete Alonso in the semifinals. Alonso went on to win his first of two Home Run Derby titles, defeating Vladimir Guerrero in the championship round.
Acuña returned to the Derby in 2022 and faced his old foe Alonso once again, this time in the first round. Unfortunately for Acuña, the Mets first baseman got the better of him again, with the same exact final tally from their 2019 semifinal matchup.
Alonso was eliminated in the semifinals by Julio Rodríguez of the Seattle Mariners, but it was Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto who won in the final round.
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