Get ready for the T-Mobile Home Run Derby with each hitter's longest dinger of 2017
The field for the 2017 T-Mobile Home Run Derby was announced Monday night and, unsurprisingly, it features some of the best power hitters in the game.
Your NL competitors for next Monday’s @tmobile #HRDerby: @Giancarlo818, @Cody_Bellinger, @Chuck_Nazty and @bour41. pic.twitter.com/YxtFuHXJo5
— All-Star Game (@AllStarGame) July 4, 2017
Your AL competitors for next Monday’s @tmobile #HRDerby: @thejudge44, @elgarysanchez, @Mooose_8 and @SanoMiguel. pic.twitter.com/Hdcw9RKddV
— All-Star Game (@AllStarGame) July 4, 2017
The tournament-style Derby is set to take place at Marlins Park on Monday, July 10, the day before the All-Star Game.
In preparation for the unbelievable displays of power about to be unleashed in Miami, let's take a look back at each of this year's participant's longest home run of the season.
Last year's Home Run Derby champion isn't even first on his own team in home runs in 2017. That honor belongs to National League starter
Bellinger will follow
Despite starting the season in the Minors, Bellinger finds himself leading the National League in home runs with 24. His longest home run came in only his 10th Major League game with this 438-foot dinger against the Padres on May 5.
Blackmon joins the Marlins sluggers to form a club of Home Run Derby participants not leading their own teams in home runs. Combine that with Blackmon playing his home games in Coors Field and you may discount his chances in the Derby. But, look at his longest home run -- a 458-foot homer in Denver in early April on a pitch at his shins -- and discount him at your peril.
Bour is third on his team in home runs, but that's OK because the guy leading the Marlins is starting in the outfield for the NL team and the other is the defending champion of this very tournament. Though he's the owner of the shortest longest home run of these eight, he's the only player in the Derby whose longest 2017 home run came in Marlins Park -- courtesy of a 437-foot homer to right field on May 15 against the Astros.
Judge currently leads all of baseball with 27 home runs. His power is so great that Yankee Stadium has been renovated to fit him with his own judge's chambers. He also owns the longest home run of the season -- a 495-foot blast on June 11 against the Orioles.
Sanchez is well-known for his performance as a late-season callup in 2016 when he hit 20 home runs in only 53 Major League games. He's not quite on the same pace this year, with 13 home runs. But he can still hit them a long way, as evidenced by this 450-foot home run on June 11 against the Orioles, which, thanks to Aaron Judge, wasn't even the longest home run in the game.
Moustakas is the third-most prolific home run hitter in this year's Derby and has already surpassed his previous career-best for home runs in a season. His longest home run of 2017 -- a 440-foot one off the Kauffman Stadium stairs on June 20 -- was also the 100th dinger of his career.
Prior to a late push from Indians third baseman Jose Ramirez, Sano was leading All-Star voting among American League third basemen. Though he will not be starting Tuesday night, the power he showed on this July 1 home run into the waterfall at Kauffman Stadium could bring him Home Run Derby glory.
Marlins Park is not the easiest park to hit home run in, but all eight of these participants are more than capable of clearing the fences, and doing it again … and again … and again.
