2022 MLB Home Run Derby: Pete Alonso Favored to 3-Peat, Plus First-Round Matchups
Pete Alonso #20 of the New York Mets bats in the final round during the 2021 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Coors Field on Monday, July 12, 2021 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
The Home Run Derby has morphed into the Pete Alonso Classic, and the New York Mets slugger is the favorite for his third title in the upcoming showcase.
Alonso headlines the eight-player field for Monday's firework display at Dodger Stadium. He is joined by fellow participants Kyle Schwarber, Corey Seager, Juan Soto, Jose Ramirez, Julio Rodriguez, Ronald Acuna Jr. and Albert Pujols.
Odds to Win Home Run Derby
| Player | Odds |
|---|---|
| Pete Alonso | +225 |
| Kyle Schwarber | +330 |
| Ronald Acuna Jr. | +550 |
| Juan Soto | +650 |
| Corey Seager | +850 |
| Julio Rodriguez | +1100 |
| Jose Ramirez | +1300 |
| Albert Pujols | +1600 |
via DraftKings
HR Derby First-Round Matchups
Left bracket
No. 1 Kyle Schwarber vs. No. 8 Albert Pujols
Schwarber leads the NL in dingers this season (28), yet no derby contestant ever has had more career belts than Pujols (685).
No. 4 Juan Soto vs. No. 5 Jose Ramirez
Soto left the Coors Field crowd in awe with a 520-foot moonshot in last year's showcase. More of those, please.
Ramirez, meanwhile, can bash from both sides of the plate, but that historically hasn't been advantageous: Only one switch-hitter has won the derby.
Right bracket
No. 3 Corey Seager vs. No. 6 Julio Rodriguez
It's a homecoming for Seager, who spent seven seasons in a Dodger uniform. He draws Rodriguez, the odds-on favorite for AL Rookie of the Year at the halfway point of the season
No. 2 Pete Alonso vs. No. 7 Ronald Acuna Jr.
There's not much else to say about Alonso's track record – he's earned more career winnings through the Home Run Derby than he has from his salary.
The first-round matchup against Acuna Jr. features a rematch of the 2019 derby semifinals.
Home Run Derby Rules
- Seeds are determined by 2022 home run totals.
- There are three rounds in a single-elimination bracket.
- Hitters get three minutes in first two rounds, with a 45-second timeout.
- Batters get two minutes in the final round, with a 45-second timeout.
- All batters receive 30 seconds of bonus time at the end of each round.
- Hitters get 30 additional seconds for multiple HRs of 440 feet or longer.
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