Teoscar Hernandez is the new MLB Home Run Derby champion.
Hernández defeated Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. in the final round of the Home Run Derby on Monday at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, after a very interesting rendition of the national anthem. Hernández narrowly beat Witt in the final round, with Witt’s last attempt to match Hernández ending in a painful failure.
Hernández is the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to win the Home Run Derby and the seventh player of Dominican descent to win the event. His victory also earned him a $1 million bonus.
This year’s Derby saw some notable changes, which sped up the event a bit. All eight players managed to win in the first round, and then the top four players – Hernández, Witt, Alec Bohm and José Ramírez – advanced to a four-way final. Pete Alonso, who was looking to win his third Derby, Adolis Garcia, Gunnar Henderson and Marcell Ozuna were eliminated in the first round.
Witt beat Ramirez in the semifinals by hitting 17 home runs in the round. Ramirez hit just four home runs in his first 25 pitches in that round.
Hernandez then beat Bohm in a thrilling semifinal after each player hit 14 home runs in their battle for a spot in the final.
Hernández pitched first in the championship round and looked a little tired early on. He hit just four home runs on his first 14 pitches before his timeout, but he came out strong and hit five of his next six to finish with 11 home runs heading into his bonus round, in which he added three more home runs to reach 14.
With that number to beat, Witt also started slowly. He missed his first five hits and then called timeout with just four homers and 15 pitches remaining. Still, a strong finish pushed him to 11 in regulation, matching Hernández’s mark.
But Witt missed his first two shots in the bonus round, which immediately put him in trouble. Although he hit two home runs to give himself a chance, his final attempt stopped just short of the center-field wall.
This officially gave Hernandez the title.
MLB All-Star weekend will conclude Tuesday with the All-Star Game. The season will then resume Friday.
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Teoscar Hernández is your Home Run Derby champion
Bobby Witt Jr. needed three home runs in his bonus round to catch Teoscar Hernández in the Home Run Derby final. He hit two. Hernández won the crown with 14 home runs in a thrilling final that saw Witt fall just short.
Hernandez hit 11 homers in regulation, then hit three more in his bonus round to tie the number at 14.
Witt tied his opponent with 11 home runs in regulation, then hit two in the bonus round with two outs remaining. On his last out, Witt hit a deep fly ball to center field that had a chance.
But it bounced off the wall and stayed in the park to secure the title for Hernandez.
Bobby Witt Jr. hit 11 home runs in regulation, needing three to tie the game and four to beat Teoscar Hernández in his bonus round with the Derby crown on the line.
Teoscar Hernández achieves his first performance in the Derby
It was clear that Teoscar Hernandez was struggling after two innings plus a swing-off, but he still managed to send a good number of home runs into the upper deck in left field in his final inning.
Hernandez has long been one of the game’s most underrated hitters, and his performance Monday at Globe Life Field — even if Bobby Witt Jr. is capable of surpassing Hernandez’s total of 14 — was a good reminder. He can still emerge as a champion.
Witt will be speaking shortly…
Teoscar Hernandez adds three homers in his bonus round to bring his final-round total to 14. That’s the number Bobby Witt Jr. must beat with the Home Run Derby crown on the line.
Hernandez made the most of another timeout. He hit seven home runs on 14 pitches after the break to total 11 in regulation. On to the bonus round.
Hernandez took a timeout with 14 pitches and 57 seconds remaining. He has four home runs.
Teoscar Hernández is the first to pitch. Each batter has 27 pitches in the final.
Legendary announcer Michael Buffer is on call to call the final between Bobby Witt Jr. and Teoscar Hernandez. Nice touch.
Legendary boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer makes an appearance at the 2024 Home Run Derby to announce the championship match between Bobby Witt Jr. and Teoscar Hernández.🔥 pic.twitter.com/N5VwzSU6PS
— Awful Announcement (@awfulannouncing) July 16, 2024
Hernandez wins first leg and advances to final against Witt
A swing off! We’ve seen several of those over the years, and they rarely disappoint. After Hernández and Bohm tied at 14 apiece in the semifinals, each player got three swings – and only three swings – to add to their total.
Hernández struck first and homered on two of his three swings, putting pressure on Bohm to tie the game… which he didn’t. Bohm deserves credit for showing more than many expected in this event, but Hernández strikes me as a more traditional power hitter, worthy of a Finals matchup with Bobby Witt Jr.
Bohm swings out
The final competitor in the semifinals, Alec Bohm, started slowly. But after a timeout, he got things moving and ended up matching Teoscar Hernández’s 14 home runs, sending things to the always-intriguing final.
In the end, Bohm didn’t have enough power to overcome Teo, who hit two home runs on three swings before Bohm hit a single late-swing dinger. Still, Bohm put on an impressive performance, a man who has never been known for his power.
Bobby Witt Jr. vs. Teoscar Hernandez for Home Run Derby Crown
The final pitted Teoscar Hernández against Bobby Witt Jr. Hernández hit two home runs in a swing-off to Alec Bohm’s one, allowing him to advance with 16 home runs to the semifinals.
We have a swing-off. Alec Bohm and Teoscar Hernández are tied at 14 after Bohm fails to hit a home run in the bonus round. The winner gets Bobby Witt Jr. for the crown.
Alec Bohm stepped it up after his timeout. He hit 11 home runs in his last 23 swings to tie Teoscar Hernández. He needs just one in his bonus round to advance to the final.
Alec Bohm got off to a slow start in his final at-bat of the semifinals, hitting three home runs in his timeout with 23 pitches and 1:41 remaining.
“It’s not much,” he said during his break.
It’s not.
Can Hernandez contain Bohm in the semi-finals?
Outside of Ozuna, it was Teoscar Hernández who launched the most majestic home runs in the first round, with several long balls traveling more than 440 feet and a maximum of 466.
The moonshots continued in the second round but without as much consistency, and Hernandez is now on shaky ground, with 14 total homers as Alec Bohm prepares for what could be a rather surprising run to the Finals if he can surpass Hernandez’s modest total.
Teoscar Hernandez added a home run in his bonus round to finish with 14. Is that enough to hold off Alec Bohm? The winner advances to face Bobby Witt Jr. for the Home Run Derby crown.
More information here about the much talked about national anthem.
Teoscar Hernandez found his rhythm after his timeout. He finished with 13 home runs in regulation before his bonus round.
Teoscar Hernández is the first to play the second semifinal and has a hard time shining. He hit three home runs in 18 swings before his timeout.
José Ramírez loses in the semi-final
A truly valiant effort from Ramirez, whose raw power may not match the rest of the field but whose ability to consistently drop fly balls just over the right-field fence was on display until he lost to Bobby Witt Jr. in the semifinals.
More importantly, I’m glad Ramirez, an ambidextrous hitter who batted left-handed, advanced to the semifinals so fans sitting in right field would have another chance to get some Derby homers, given that most of the field swings right-handed.
More importantly, Bobby Witt Jr. advances to the finals, which suggests a fairytale ending to tonight’s event.
