Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby has become one of the biggest stand-alone exhibitions on the sports calendar. Monday night, July 14, at Truist Park in suburban Atlanta will be no different, with several players looking to make a name for themselves by smashing the baseball.
Which players are making history at the All-Star break?
It’s been a strange year for the long ball to this point in the 2025 season. For the first time in MLB history, five players have hit more than 30 homers at the All-Star break. Perhaps the two best players in the game, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, are on the list, along with Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber and Eugenio Suarez.
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What makes those performances even more impressive is that the number of home runs scored is down to 39% this season, which is the lowest in nearly a decade. MLB’s data indicates an increased drag on baseballs this year, making it harder to hit homers.
Star players like Andrew McCutchen, with 327 homers in his career, have pointed out the different feel of the ball. He says MLB hasn’t been able to explain why the drag is higher.
Who is helping Cal Raleigh in the Home Run Derby?
That has not stopped Cal Raleigh. The Mariners’ Gold Glove catcher joins Barry Bonds as the only two players in history with more than 38 homers before the All-Star break. It will be a family affair for Raleigh in the Derby. His dad will pitch to him, and his brother will catch. Mariners manager Dan Wilson talked about why he believes Raleigh is having such a great season.
“It’s because of his mental approach and his approach to the game in general,” Wilson said. “It’s his desire, his desire to win and help the ballclub in any way that he can. He’s not trying to leave, he’s trying to hit the ball hard. But when he does that, it’s usually pretty good results, pretty successful.”
Who are the other favorites on Monday night?
The guy known in Seattle as “Big Dumper” will try to hit hard on Monday night. He is the favorite according to FanDuel and other online sportsbooks. Close behind Raleigh are Pittsburgh Pirates star Oneil Cruz and outfielder James Wood of the Washington Nationals. The odds are a little longer for the remaining five players. Seven of the eight hitters are Derby first-timers.
Matt Olson, who replaced his Braves teammate Ronald Acuña Jr, is the only player with experience in the event. He was knocked out in the first round of the 2023 Derby. He returns to the competition as the hometown kid, and while he’s not a betting favorite, he’ll be the crowd favorite. He likes using the time to pick up tips from his fellow sluggers.
“I like to watch them in the cage, ‘Why do you do this, why do you do that?’” Olson said. “It’s really the stuff kinda beforehand, in the clubhouse, in the tunnel, before the game that I’ve appreciated the most.”
Twins outfielder Byron Buxton could be a dark horse candidate. He wrapped up his first half in style Saturday, July 12, going 5 for 5 and hitting for the cycle. He completed the feat with a home run in the 7th inning. It was also Byron Buxton bobblehead day at the ballpark.
The remaining three candidates are Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays and Brent Rooker of the Athletics.
