The Home Run Derby is changing its format this year, and if things continue as they have been, Yordan Alvarez will have earned himself a spot in the batter’s box.
Major League Baseball announced it is scrapping the timer that has governed the Derby since 2015, returning to a swing-based format for this year’s competition at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on July 13. It will be the first Derby to stream live on Netflix.
Under the new format, hitters will get a fixed number of swings rather than racing against the clock. Round 1 allows 20 swings, while both the semifinals and final drop to 15. There is one twist: If a player homers on the final allotted swing, he keeps going until recording an out.
The eight-player field will be cut to four after the opening round, with advancement based on total home runs. The top seed faces the fourth seed, while second and third square off in the other semifinal. If players are tied after Round 1, the longest home run wins the tiebreaker; later rounds go to three-swing swing-offs.
The new setup may favor hitters like Alvarez, whose effortless power and patient approach could play well in a format that rewards maximizing swings rather than rushing against a clock.
In some ways, it’s a return to the Derby’s earlier identity. Before 2015, the event relied on swing totals rather than a running clock, putting more emphasis on rhythm and power than speed.
As for who will be swinging at Citizens Bank Park, Alvarez is as likely a participant as anyone in baseball. He leads the American League in home runs with 24 and is hitting .326 with a 1.070 OPS. He is also the AL’s leading All-Star vote-getter, putting him in position for an automatic starting spot as the designated hitter.
The Derby is July 13. The All-Star Game is July 14. Before the Astros head out for the break, fans will still have a few opportunities to catch Alvarez at Daikin Park.
