The MLB Home Run Derby is set to take place on Monday, and Philadelphia Phillies star Bryce Harper has a rather eccentric idea for the showcase event.
All Star week is almost here, and the first bit of action for us to sink our teeth into is a new-look Home Run Derby, with eight sluggers competing for bragging rights.
The timed nature of the contest has been scrapped, with hitters instead given a finite number of swings in each round. It’s a significant change to the Derby, which has been using the old rules since 2015.
And Harper wants another change — he wants aluminum bats for the gold balls.
Bryce Harper’s aluminum bat request for Home Run Derby
It will be a home game for Harper in Philadelphia, and he will be hoping to grab the win in front of his fans. Perhaps with that in mind, he has requested metal bats for the bonus hits of each round.
As ESPN’s Buster Olney explained: “Bryce Harper has a fun idea for the HR Derby: When the gold balls are brought into play, let the hitters swing aluminum bats.
“That would be a show… and you might see balls leave Citizens Bank Park.”
Indeed, giving the players the chance to whack with a stronger bat would be great for entertainment value. It might make their job a bit too easy, though.
Harper won the Home Run Derby back in 2018, and is the only previous winner participating in the 2026 edition. Despite that, the 34-year-old — hitting .261 with 20 homers and 57 RBIs this year — won’t be the favorite this time around.
The field he’s up against features:
- Junior Caminero, Rays
- Jac Caglianone, Royals
- Ben Rice, Yankees
- Willson Contreras, Red Sox
- Jordan Walker, Cardinals
- Bryce Harper, Phillies
- Kyle Schwarber, Phillies
- Munetaka Murakami, White Sox
Age is against the Phillies star, and the standard of the Home Run Derby in recent years has been such that it would take a near-perfect performance to win. If Harper can manage it, though, the reaction around Citizens Bank Park would be electric.
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