Is The MLB Home Run Derby The New Dunk Contest?

MLB Home Run Derby Round 1

• Top performers: 

  • The MLB Home Run Derby first round saw Junior Caminero and Oneil Cruz led the pack with 21 homers each; Byron Buxton hit 20. Cal Raleigh—not far behind with 17—advanced by a mere 0.08-foot tiebreaker, outslugging Brent Rooker after both totals tied. (<1 inch made the difference!) 

• Lowlights: 

  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. struggled mightily with just 3 homers. He embarrassed himself, his team, and the event. As a last minute contender to get the group to 8, this raises concerns the the MLB needs to reward players more for participating as most contestants were not big name players, unlike derbies of the past.

  • Empty Seats were easy to find on TV before the finals when they let people fill in.

Semifinals: Clash of Power

• Cal Raleigh vs. Oneil Cruz: Raleigh exploded for 19 homers, defeating Cruz’s 13. Cruz wowed the crowd with a 513-foot missile—the longest derby shot of the night.

• Junior Caminero vs. Byron Buxton: Caminero edged out Buxton with 8–7, advancing to the final with confidence. Buxton, who crushed 20 in Round 1, couldn’t keep the pace.

Final Showdown: Raleigh Crowned Champion

• Raleigh vs Caminero Final: Raleigh outpaced Caminero 18–15 in a tight final. He finished with 54 homers over three rounds and became the first catcher and the first switch-hitter to ever win the Home Run Derby.

• Legacy moment: Raleigh joins Ken Griffey Jr. as one of just two Mariners to win the Derby—cementing his power credentials in franchise history.

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