CINCINNATI – It looks like Bryce Harper found somebody trustworthy to throw to him at Monday night’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park.
Harper announced on Instagram on Thursday evening that he will participate in the event at the Bank. It should make for fantastic theater, especially if teammate Kyle Schwarber joins him as expected.
“Derby at home?” Harper posted. “Sure why not? #HRD”
2026 T-Mobile Home Run Derby: July 13, 8 p.m. ET
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Harper learned Saturday night in Kansas City that he made his ninth NL All-Star team. On Sunday morning, he stood in front of his locker in the visitors’ clubhouse at Kauffman Stadium and talked about the honor, his season, and if he might compete again in the Derby. Harper won the Derby at Nationals Park in 2018, when he played for the Nationals.
He beat Schwarber in the finals.
Only two other players have ever won the event inside their home ballpark (Todd Frazier at Great American Ball Park in 2015 and Ryne Sandberg at Wrigley Field in 1990), and no one has done so twice -- something Harper will try to do on Monday. On top of that, he can also become the fifth multi-time champion in Derby history.
Harper said Sunday morning he wasn’t sure if he would compete. Harper’s father, Ron, threw to him in 2018. But Harper’s father hasn’t thrown in a few years, and Harper said he needs to trust his pitcher if he’s going to compete.
He said he had fielded offers from several people to throw to him, including a few former teammates.
“I can trust a couple of them, but it's just hard for me, to tell you the truth,” Harper said. “Not being able to do it with somebody that I'm super comfortable with, it's a hard thing to think about. They may throw to you one time before you take the field to hit in a Home Run Derby.
“I'm super comfortable with my dad throwing to me for my whole life. That’s a big thing. You can't just pick somebody random to go out there. … I'm not going to do something if I'm going to have a half-mentality towards it, because I'm worried about the pitcher, or I'm worried about what's going to happen, or anything else. If I'm going to do it, I want to be full bore and very confident in winning it.”
Harper finished second in the 2013 Home Run Derby to Yoenis Céspedes at Citi Field. Again, he won in 2018.
“I'm not going to do it unless I'm going to try to win it,” Harper said. “You know what I'm saying? I'm not going out there just to have fun, like I want to win the thing.”