This story was originally published by Dead Spin
ARLINGTON, Texas — The Phillies’ Alec Bohm and the Guardians’ Jose Ramirez are leading the way after the first round of the Home Run Derby on Monday night. Bohm and Ramirez tied for the most home runs in the opening round with 21.
The Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. and the Dodgers’ Teoscar Hernandez are also moving on to the semifinals. Bohm will square off against Hernandez, and Ramirez will go head-to-head with Witt. Bohm is the top seed going into the semifinals, as he had the longest home run compared to Ramirez.
Bohm and Ramirez will choose whether they go first or second in the semifinals.
A few favorites had earlier than expected exits.
Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia received the loudest ovations throughout the night, but missed the cut with 18 home runs in the first round. So did the Mets’ Pete Alonso, a two-time winner of the event, who had 12 home runs, and the Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson, the top home run hitter in the field, who finished with 11.
The Braves’ Marcell Ozuna also was eliminated in the first round with 16 home runs. Ozuna, though, hit the longest home run of the night at 473 feet. That is one foot further than the longest recorded home runs in Globe Life Field’s history (472 feet was reached by Oakland’s Seth Brown in 2021, and Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout in 2022).
Format Details:
In the first round, each batter was given three minutes, or up to 40 balls, whichever ended first. After the regulation period, there was a bonus round in which each batter received three “outs,” which are defined as any swing that does not result in a home run. A batter could earn an additional “out” if he hit at least one home run that went 425 feet or further in the bonus period.
In the semifinals, the time limit and bonus period remain the same. However, the four batters will be seeded with the top home run hitter in the first round facing the advancing batter with the fewest home runs. The higher seed chooses whether they want to go first or second.
In the finals, each batter will be given up to two minutes or 27 balls, whichever ends first, with the same bonus period as the previous rounds.
–Drew Davison, Field Level Media
