The Home Run Derby took place on Monday night at Truist Park. Seven of the best power hitters in Major League Baseball put on a show for thousands of baseball fans as part of the All-Star weekend festivities.
The derby began with fireworks and Pat McAfeee. Yes, that Pat McAfee. Major League Baseball broke out all of the stops on Monday night, including having McAfee announce the Home Run Derby participants like it was a WWE match.
Atlanta Braves first baseman Matt Olson, a three-time MLB All-Star and Atlanta native, was awarded the opportunity to hit last. The cheers from the crowd when his name announced as the seventh participant was the loudest of the evening. Olson failed to advance into the semifinals, but had a couple of moments where his 15 home runs felt like it was going to be a lot more. Olson had a streak of five home runs between his ninth and 15th dingers that got the crowd going.
When he was done Olson was greeted by teammates and fellow all-stars Ronald Acuna, Jr. and Chris Sale.
James Woods of the Washington Nationals, one of that club’s many talented young players, started things off with a first round score of 16. Tampa Bay Ray Junior Caminero’s 21 home runs held the top spot in the first round until Pittsburgh Pirates star Oneil Cruz stepped to the plate as the fourth hitter of the night. Cruz’s longest home run was 513 feet, and he would tie Caminero at the end of his first turn at bat.
Minnesota Twins outfielder Byron Buxton was fifth in the order. The two-time all-star only managed to stay in contention after a slow start. Buxton finished the first round with a score of 20, and his longest home run was 466 feet.
New York Yankees infielder Jazz Chisolm had a low score of three and was eliminated.
In the semifinals Caminero stayed hot and hit eight home runs to advance to the finals, where he met Seattle mariners catcher Cal Raleigh.
Raleigh,who is in the midst of a career year for home runs, won the title with 18 home runs to Caminero’s 15.
