Teoscar Hernández is the new MLB Home Run Derby champion.
Hernández beat 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 just barely beat Witt in the final round as Witt’s last attempt, which could’ve tied Hernández, came up painfully short.
Hernández is the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to win the Home Run Derby and the seventh Dominican-born player to win the event. His victory earned him a $1 million bonus, too.
The Derby had a few notable changes this year, which sped the event up just a bit. All eight players hit in the first round, and then the top four performers — Hernández, Witt, Alec Bohm and José Ramírez — advanced to a bracket-style final four. Pete Alonso, who was looking for his third Derby win, Adolis Garcia, Gunnar Henderson and Marcell Ozuna were eliminated in the opening round.
Witt beat Ramírez in his semifinal battle by putting up 17 home runs in the round. Ramírez hit just four home runs in his first 25 pitches in that round.
Hernández then beat Bohm in a thrilling semifinal swing-off after each player hit 14 home runs in their battle for a spot in the final.
Hernández went first in the championship round, and he seemed a bit gassed right away. He hit only four home runs in his first 14 pitches before his timeout, but he came out firing and drilled five of his next six out of the park to finish with 11 home runs before his bonus round, in which he added three more homer to get to 14.
With that number to beat, Witt also came out slow. He missed his first five hits and then called his timeout with only four home runs and 15 pitches left. Nonetheless, 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 put him behind immediately. Although he hit two home runs to give himself a chance, his last attempt stopped just shy of the center-field wall.
That officially gave Hernández the title.
MLB’s All-Star weekend will conclude with the All-Star Game on Tuesday. The season will then pick back up on Friday.
LIVE COVERAGE IS OVER81 updates
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 secured the crown with 14 home runs in a thrilling final that saw Witt come up just short.
Hernandez tallied 11 home runs in regulation, then hit three more in his bonus round to set the number at 14.
Witt matched him with 11 home runs in regulation, then hit two in the bonus round with two outs remaining. On his final out, Witt hit a ball to deep center field that had a chance.
But it bounced off the wall and stayed in the park to secure the title for Hernández.
Bobby Witt Jr. has 11 home runs in regulation. He needs three to tie and four to beat Teoscar Hernández in his bonus round with the Derby crown on the line.
Teoscar Hernández delivers in first Derby performance
It’s clear Teoscar Hernández was laboring after two rounds plus a swing-off, but he still managed to send a healthy number of homers into the upper deck in left field in his final round.
Hernández has long been one of the more underrated power hitters in the game, and his showing Monday at Globe Life Field — even if Bobby Witt Jr. is able to surpass Hernández’s total of 14 — was a nice reminder of that. He could still prevail as our champion.
Witt will step in shortly …
Teoscar Hernández adds three home runs in his bonus round to raise his final-round tally to 14. That’s the number for Bobby Witt Jr. to beat with the Home Run Derby crown on the line.
Another good use of a timeout by Hernández. He hit seven home runs in 14 pitches after his break to tally 11 in regulation. On to the bonus round.
Hernández takes a timeout with 14 pitches and 57 seconds left. He has four home runs.
Teoscar Hernández is up first. Each batter gets 27 pitches in the final.
Legendary ring announcer Michael Buffer is on the call to set up the final between Bobby Witt Jr. and Teoscar Hernández. Nice touch.
Legendary boxing ring announcer Michael Buffer makes a guest appearance at the 2024 Home Run Derby to introduce the championship round matchup of Bobby Witt Jr. and Teoscar Hernández.🔥 pic.twitter.com/N5VwzSU6PS
Hernández wins swing-off, advances to finals vs. Witt
A swing-off! We’ve seen a handful of these over the years, and they rarely disappoint. After Hernández and Bohm tied at 14 apiece in the semifinals, each player was given three swings — and three swings only — to add to his total.
Hernández went first and homered on two of his three swings, putting the pressure on Bohm to match … which he did not. Credit to Bohm for showing out far more than many expected in this event, but Hernández does strike me as a more traditional power hitter befitting a finals matchup with Bobby Witt Jr.
Bohm goes out in swing-off
The final contestant of the semifinal, Alec Bohm, started slowly. But after a timeout, he got things rolling and ended up tying Teoscar Hernández’s 14 homers, sending things to the always intriguing swing-off.
In the end, Bohm didn’t have enough to take down Teo, who homered on two of his three swings before Bohm got just one swing-off dinger. Still, this was an impressive showing from Bohm, who has never been known for his power.
Bobby Witt Jr. vs. Teoscar Hernández for Home Run Derby crown
It’s Teoscar Hernández vs. Bobby Witt Jr. in the finals. Hernández hit two home runs in a swing-off to Alec Bohm’s one to advance with 16 home runs in the semifinal round.
We have a swing-off. Alec Bohm and Teoscar Hernández are tied at 14 after Bohm failed to hit a home run in the bonus round. Winner gets Bobby Witt Jr. for the crown.
Alec Bohm turned it up after his timeout. 11 home runs in his final 23 swings to tie Teoscar Hernández. He needs just one in his bonus round to advance to the finals.
A slow start for Alec Bohm in the last at-bat of the semifinals. He has three home runs at his timeout with 23 pitches and 1:41 remaining.
“That’s not very many,” he said during his break.
It’s not.
Can Hernández hold off Bohm in the semis?
Outside of Ozuna, it was Teoscar Hernández who launched the most majestic home runs of the first round, with multiple long balls traveling in excess of 440 feet and a max of 466.
The moon shots continued in Round 2 but without as much consistency, and Hernández is now on shaky ground, with 14 total homers as Alec Bohm gears up for what could be quite a surprising run to the finals if he can surpass Hernandez’s modest total.
Teoscar Hernández adds one home run in his bonus round to finish with 14. Is it enough to fend off Alec Bohm? The winner advances to take on Bobby Witt Jr. for the Home Run Derby crown.
More here on the much-discussed national anthem.
Teoscar Hernández found his rhythm after his timeout. Finishes with 13 home runs in regulation before his bonus round.
Teoscar Hernández is up first in the second semifinal matchup and struggling to star. Three home runs in 18 swings before his timeout.
José Ramírez bows out in the semis
A truly valiant effort from Ramirez, whose raw power might not remotely measure up to that of the rest of the field but whose ability to consistently deposit pulled fly balls just over the right-field fence was on display all the way until he bowed out against Bobby Witt Jr. in the semifinals.
Most importantly, I’m glad Ramirez — a switch-hitter who was batting lefty — advanced to the semis so that the fans sitting in right field had another chance to snag some Derby dingers, considering that the bulk of the field is swinging righty.
More importantly: Bobby Witt Jr. advances to the finals, which keeps the possibility of a storybook ending to tonight’s event in play.
