Teoscar Hernández becomes first Dodgers player to win the Home Run Derby
By Homero De la Fuente, CNN
(CNN) — Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández is the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby champion after edging out Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., 14-13, in a dramatic finish at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas.
Hernández hit 14 home runs in the final round to become the first Dodgers player in franchise history and seventh Dominican-born player to win the event.
“This is amazing, man, everything that I’m feeling right now. There’s no word I can describe what I’m feeling, in front of family, in front of everybody that is here,” Hernández told the ESPN broadcast after his win.
Witt Jr., needing one more home run to force a swing-off in the final round, launched a deep fly ball to left-center field that came within a couple feet of crossing over the wall. Instead, the ball hit the fence for Witt Jr.’s final out.
The 31-year-old Hernández’s path to victory seemed to be in doubt following each of the first two rounds. In the first round, Hernández belted 13 home runs before entering the three-out bonus period. Trailing behind Texas Rangers slugger Adolis Garcia’s 18 home runs, Hernández rallied by launching six home runs to surpass him and advance.
In the semifinal round, Hernández went up against Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm – who had previously slugged a leading 21 home runs in the first round.
Hernández again got off to a slow start, but eventually found his rhythm, belting seven homers over his next nine swings to tally 13 home runs, before adding another in the bonus period.
Meanwhile, Bohm matched the Dodger’s outfielder total, hitting 14 home runs during his turn. Bohm, who is one of a Phillies-record eight All-Stars, seemed poised to advance to the next round but failed to go yard during his three swings in the bonus period to force a swing-off.
Hernández managed to hit two home runs in the three-swing swing-off, while Bohm hit only one, to book his spot in the final.
With the victory, two-time All-Star Hernández won the $1 million prize.
This year’s Home Run Derby featured a new format, which limited the amount of pitches every participant saw in each round.
With the new format, contestants had a maximum amount of 40 pitches over three minutes – whichever came first – before entering the three-out bonus period. The time and pitches were reduced in the final round to two minutes and 27 pitches.
Major League Baseball’s All-Star weekend concludes on Tuesday night with the All-Star Game between the National League and the American League.
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