After more than three months of failed and stalled negotiations, Major League Baseball and the Players Association (MLBPA) agreed to a new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) that ended the lockout and put the 2022 season back on track.
While the biggest changes to the sport are on the financial side, such as minimum player salary and the luxury tax numbers, the new CBA also brought multiple rule changes to the sport.
The most notable rule change is the inclusion of the universal designated hitter. One change that initially wasn’t talked about as much, however, only affects the All-Star Game.
Beginning with the All-Star Game at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday, a Home Run Derby will decide matters between the National League and American League if they are tied after nine innings.
Rather than play extra innings, the team managers will each select three players (and one alternate in case of injury) from his roster who agreed to participate, along with three coaches to pitch.
Each player gets to take three swings, and the team with the highest combined home run total will win the All-Star Game. There is no timer or a limit on how many pitches a batter can see — only that each takes a maximum of three swings.
According to Anthony Castrovince of MLB.com, Pete Alonso, Ronald Acuña Jr., Kyle Schwarber, Ty France Julio Rodríguez and Kyle Tucker would participate in the All-Star Game Home Run Derby if it’s required.
The visiting team always will bat first, though the leagues will alternate and players may hit in any order.
If the home run totals are identical after all six batters have taken their swings, the All-Star Game managers will each select one player for a head-to-head competition.
A Home Run Derby to decide an All-Star Game has already happened at Double-A back in 2015 and the Pioneer League, an independent partner of MLB, made the switch last season.
The last All-Star Game to go to extra innings was in 2018 in Washington D.C. as the AL won 8-6 in 10 innings. Overall, there have been 13 instances where the All-Star Game went into extra innings.
Justin Turner proposed All-Star Home Run Derby
Although it was with the regular season in mind, the Los Angeles Dodgers’ Justin Turner proposed a Home Run Derby in lieu of extra innings as a means of protecting players from potential injury during the shortened 2020 schedule.
The idea never gained much traction, but the rule change has made it to the All-Star Game for at least the duration of the current CBA that runs through the 2026 season.
Washington Nationals All-Star Juan Soto won the traditional 2022 Home Run Derby.
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