MLB Home Run Derby X

MLB Home Run Derby X
Tournament information
SportBaseball
LocationLondon
Seoul
Mexico City
Hartford
Fredericksburg
Established2022
FormatSingle-elimination
Teams4

MLB Home Run Derby X is a global baseball tour operated by Major League Baseball (MLB). Its first edition was in 2022. It is based on the Home Run Derby that is usually contested the day before the MLB All-Star Game.

2022

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Teams represented the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Boston Red Sox, the Chicago Cubs, and the New York Yankees. Teams included former MLB players, players from softball and women's baseball, rookies from the men's baseball development system, and "influential content creators". Adrián González played for the Dodgers, Jonny Gomes for the Red Sox, Nick Swisher for the Yankees, and Geovany Soto for the Cubs.[1][2]

The 2022 event consisted of three legs: one in London, one in Seoul, and one in Mexico City. Each leg consisted of a single-elimination bracket with a third place playoff for classification (London only, starting with Seoul third place was awarded to the team with the most home runs in the preliminaries.[3] Teams received five points for winning a leg, three points for second place, and one point for third place. Cryptocurrency exchange company FTX was the title sponsor, in continuation of a partnership with MLB announced in mid-2021.[4]

The Red Sox won the 2022 tournament.

London

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The London leg was held at Crystal Palace Park on July 9. AJ Tracey headlined the event, described as "baseball meets festival vibes".[5] Zach Stroman, who has played for the London Mets, represented the Dodgers at the event.[6]

In the final, the Yankees defeated the Red Sox, 42–41, after London-born Richard Brereton hit a walk-off home run. Erika Piancastelli of the Yankees was named MVP of the London tournament. In the third-place game, the Dodgers defeated the Cubs, 53–38.[7]

Seoul

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The Seoul leg was held on September 17 at Paradise City.

In the preliminaries, the Red Sox defeated the Yankees 60–49, while the Dodgers defeated the Cubs 55–54. In the finals, the Dodgers defeated the Red Sox 60–55.[8] Adrian Gonzalez was named MVP on the day.

Mexico City

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The Mexico City leg was held on October 15 at Campo Marte.[9]

In the preliminaries, the Red Sox defeated the Cubs 62–51, while the Dodgers defeated the Yankees 68–63. In the finals, the Red Sox defeated the Dodgers 57–56.[10] Jocelyn Alo was named site MVP.

Standings

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Team Points First place
(5 points)		 Second Place
(3 points)		 Third Place
(1 point)		 Fourth Place
(0 points)
Red Sox 11 1 (Mexico City) 2 (London, Seoul) 0 0
Dodgers 9 1 (Seoul) 1 (Mexico City) 1 (London) 0
Yankees 6 1 (London) 0 1 (Mexico City) 1 (Seoul)
Cubs 1 0 0 1 (Seoul) 2 (London, Mexico City)

Source:[11]

2023

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In 2023, the first Home Run Derby X event, branded as "The Cage," was held at Trafalgar Square in London on June 23, in conjunction with the 2023 MLB London Series.[12] The Cubs won the London event.[13]

The event's first U.S. leg was held on August 11 at Dunkin' Park in Hartford, Connecticut, home of the Hartford Yard Goats of the Eastern League.[14][15] Four teams competed, each led by a retired MLB player: Jake Arrieta's Schoolboys, Jonny Gomes's Steamed Cheeseburgers, Dexter Fowler's Los Chivos, and Nick Swisher's Bouncing Pickles. The Schoolboys defeated the Steamed Cheeseburgers, 49–48, in the final round.[16] The Schoolboys received $4,000 for their chosen charity, the Hartford Police Athletic League, which Arrieta matched personally.[17]

On August 25 and 26, MLB presented a Home Run Derby X event in Fredericksburg, Virginia at Virginia Credit Union Stadium, home of the Fredericksburg Nationals.[18] The Fredericksburg event featured four teams: the Choppin' Georges, including Jocelyn Alo and Gerardo Parra; the Freddies, including Ian Desmond; the FUNdadores, including Jonny Gomes; and the Gus Bus, featuring Jake Arrieta and Baylee Klingler.[19] In the final, the Freddies defeated the Gus Bus, 56–55.[20]

2024

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The 2024 event will be a three-on-three competition, with each team composed of a former MLB player, a women's baseball or softball player, and a local player. Events will be held on August 10 at Parkview Field in Fort Wayne, Indiana; on August 23 at Isotopes Park in Albuquerque; on August 31 at First Horizon Park in Nashville; and on September 7 at Durham Bulls Athletic Park in Durham, North Carolina.[21][22][23]

References

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  1. ^ Lee, Joon (March 30, 2022). "MLB unveils Home Run Derby X competition". ESPN.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  2. ^ Harris, Declan (April 2, 2022). "Major League Baseball Announces Global Tour called 'Home Run Derby X'". Sports Illustrated. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  3. ^ Bengel, Chris (March 30, 2022). "MLB announces Home Run Derby X, a new tournament featuring former stars". CBS Sports. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  4. ^ "MLB, FTX cryptocurrency exchange partner". MLB.com. June 23, 2021. Archived from the original on July 7, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  5. ^ Sims, Alex (July 4, 2022). "AJ Tracey is headlining a Major League Baseball game in Crystal Palace". Time Out London. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  6. ^ Power, Lee (July 4, 2022). "North Londoner Stroman stepping up to the plate at MLB event". Hackney Gazette. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  7. ^ Clair, Michael. "MLB Home Run Derby X Live Blog". MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  8. ^ "Dodgers win tight contest at Home Run Derby X Seoul". MLB.com.
  9. ^ Montaño, Lazaro (June 16, 2022). "Mexico announces Campo Marte as home for Home Run Derby X". MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 9, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  10. ^ "Jocelyn Alo powers Sox to HRDX win: 'She's every bit the Aaron Judge'". MLB.com.
  11. ^ "FTX MLB Home Run Derby X". MLB.com. Archived from the original on July 8, 2022. Retrieved July 9, 2022.
  12. ^ Goold, Derrick (June 23, 2023). "Postcard from London: How David Eckstein prepped for Home Run Derby in Trafalgar Square". St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  13. ^ Clair, Michael (June 23, 2023). "Great Britain's baseball talent shines as Cubs win HRDX: The Cage". MLB.com. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  14. ^ Dayton, Kels (June 13, 2023). "Hartford's Dunkin' Park chosen as host site for MLB's Home Run Derby X, which will make U.S. debut". Hartford Courant. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  15. ^ Skahill, Patrick (June 13, 2023). "Home Run Derby X to bring MLB legends to Hartford's Dunkin' Park. And you can play, too". Connecticut Public Radio. Retrieved July 12, 2023.
  16. ^ Lee, Myer (August 12, 2023). "Home Run Derby X makes American debut before sold out Dunkin' Park in Hartford". Times Union. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  17. ^ "Bouncing Pickles, Steamed Cheeseburgers all part of Home Run Derby X fun in Hartford". Hartford Courant. August 11, 2023. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  18. ^ Graham, Chris (August 3, 2023). "'Baby Shark' Gerardo Parra headlines Home Run Derby X event in Fredericksburg". Augusta Free Press. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  19. ^ Clair, Michael (August 25, 2023). "Big league legends and softball stars draft their HRDX squads". MLB.com. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  20. ^ Roberts, Brandon (August 28, 2023). "Desmond's team wins Home Run Derby X". The Free Lance-Star. Retrieved September 4, 2023.
  21. ^ Clair, Michael (May 21, 2024). "HRDX is back in four new locations for 2024". MLB.com. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  22. ^ "Isotopes Park to host MLB Home Run Derby X this August". KOB. May 24, 2024. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
  23. ^ McMahan, Clayton (May 23, 2024). "MLB's Home Run Derby X aims to bring 'nonstop action' to Summit City". WANE. Retrieved July 6, 2024.
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