PHILADELPHIA — It's a bad week to be a baseball in South Philadelphia.
Yes, dear friends, MLB's annual big fly bacchanal is almost here. The 2026 Home Run Derby begins at 8 p.m. ET Monday. This is, reliably, the most whimsical, joy-oriented evening on the baseball calendar. It exists because it is fun. There is a winner but no losers.
That's all true no matter the year, the venue or the entrants. But this upcoming edition, for a multitude of reasons, should be a uniquely scintillating contest.
The field itself is a banger, a diverse, enthralling collection of very large and powerful individuals. The hometown tandem of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber is the main attraction; they are the first set of teammates to participate since 2018. Both are beloved in Philadelphia, but a showdown could produce a friendly tilt for the ultimate spotlight.
And beyond the Phillies, storylines abound. Rays dynamo Junior Caminero is looking to avenge his second-place finish from last season. ******* anese rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami is participating fresh off the injured list. Both the Yankees (Ben Rice) and Red Sox (Willson Contreras) have a representative. There's a radically different format for the first time in a decade. Oh, and Netflix is broadcasting the event for the first time. Let's dig in.
Yes, dear friends, MLB's annual big fly bacchanal is almost here. The 2026 Home Run Derby begins at 8 p.m. ET Monday. This is, reliably, the most whimsical, joy-oriented evening on the baseball calendar. It exists because it is fun. There is a winner but no losers.
That's all true no matter the year, the venue or the entrants. But this upcoming edition, for a multitude of reasons, should be a uniquely scintillating contest.
The field itself is a banger, a diverse, enthralling collection of very large and powerful individuals. The hometown tandem of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber is the main attraction; they are the first set of teammates to participate since 2018. Both are beloved in Philadelphia, but a showdown could produce a friendly tilt for the ultimate spotlight.
And beyond the Phillies, storylines abound. Rays dynamo Junior Caminero is looking to avenge his second-place finish from last season. ******* anese rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami is participating fresh off the injured list. Both the Yankees (Ben Rice) and Red Sox (Willson Contreras) have a representative. There's a radically different format for the first time in a decade. Oh, and Netflix is broadcasting the event for the first time. Let's dig in.
16 days ago
