After an absence in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Home Run Derby is back.
And it should return with a bang. Coors Field is one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball, with Baseball Savant listing it as the fifth-best stadium to hit home runs.
This will also be the sixth season the derby is conducted in brackets. The sluggers will be paired off in brackets aiming to out-hit the other in a format that has become popular among fans for its fast-paced action.
Here's a breakdown of how you can watch the Home Run Derby on Monday.
MORE: Watch the Home Run Derby live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)
What channel is the Home Run Derby on today?
Looking to see some baseballs put into orbit? Tune into ESPN to watch the action at Coors Field. If you're interested in the numbers behind each long ball, follow the event on ESPN2, where the Statcast broadcast will be carried. Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez will be in the booth for the coverage on ESPN with Buster Olney and Marly Rivera reporting on the broadcast, while Jason Benetti, Jessica Mendoza and Mike Petriello will call the Statcast edition.
For those wanting to stream the event online, fans can find the broadcast on ESPN+ and on fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial.
What time does the Home Run Derby start?
- Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT
Live coverage of the Home Run Derby will start on Monday at 7 p.m. ET with Baseball Tonight airing on ESPN and on ESPN2, with the latter being the Statcast Edition. The derby itself will begin at 8 p.m. ET.
2021 Home Run Derby participants
The 2021 field looks set to deliver a thrilling show on Monday. There's two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, reigning derby champ Pete Alonso, hometown hero Trevor Story and young star Juan Soto all set to take their swings in Coors Field. And that's just a start. Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo might have the most raw power of any player in the majors, Royals catcher Salvador Perez could become the first catcher to win the derby, Athletics first baseman Matt Olson has been one of the best power hitters in the past four years and Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini is having a remarkable comeback season after beating cancer.
Here's how the first round of brackets will shape up in the first round of the Home Run Derby.
Bracket 1
| Seed | Batter |
|---|---|
| 1 | Shohei Ohtani |
| 8 | Juan Soto |
Bracket 2
| Seed | Batter |
|---|---|
| 4 | Salvador Perez |
| 5 | Pete Alonso |
Bracket 3
| Seed | Batter |
|---|---|
| 2 | Joey Gallo |
| 7 | Trevor Story |
Bracket 4
| Seed | Batter |
|---|---|
| 3 | Matt Olson |
| 6 | Trey Mancini |
Past Home Run Derby champions
Only one player has won the derby three times, and that would be Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who won the second of his three crowns in Coors Field back in 1998. He went on to win the next year at Fenway Park for his second straight title — the first of two players to win in back-to-back years. Yoenis Cespedes was the second batter to win in back-to-back years, when he won in 2013 and 2014. If Alonso wins this year, he'd be the third player to win in two straight derbies.
Here's the full list of past champions in the Home Run Derby.
| Year | Player | Team | Park (City) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | Pete Alonso | Mets | Progressive Field (Cleveland) |
| 2018 | Bryce Harper | Nationals | Nationals Park (Washington, D.C.) |
| 2017 | Aaron Judge | Yankees | Marlins Park (Miami) |
| 2016 | Giancarlo Stanton | Marlins | Petco Park (San Diego) |
| 2015 | Todd Frazier | Reds | Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati) |
| 2014 | Yoenis Cespedes | Athletics | Target Field (Minneapolis) |
| 2013 | Yoenis Cespedes | Athletics | Citi Field (New York City) |
| 2012 | Prince Fielder | Tigers | Kauffman Park (Kansas City) |
| 2011 | Robinson Cano | Yankees | Chase Field (Phoenix) |
| 2010 | David Ortiz | Red Sox | Angel Stadium (Anaheim) |
| 2009 | Prince Fielder | Brewers | Busch Stadium (St. Louis) |
| 2008 | Justin Morneau | Twins | Yankee Stadium (New York City) |
| 2007 | Vladimir Guerrero | Angels | AT&T Park (San Francisco) |
| 2006 | Ryan Howard | Phillies | PNC Park (Pittsburgh) |
| 2005 | Bobby Abreu | Phillies | Comerica Park (Detroit) |
| 2004 | Miguel Tejada | Orioles | Minute Maid Park (Houston) |
| 2003 | Garret Anderson | Angels | U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago) |
| 2002 | Jason Giambi | Yankees | Miller Park (Milwaukee) |
| 2001 | Luis Gonzalez | Diamondbacks | Safeco Field (Seattle) |
| 2000 | Sammy Sosa | Cubs | Turner Field (Atlanta) |
| 1999 | Ken Griffey Jr. | Mariners | Fenway Park (Boston) |
| 1998 | Ken Griffey Jr. | Mariners | Coors Field (Colorado) |
| 1997 | Tino Martinez | Yankees | Jacobs Field (Cleveland) |
| 1996 | Barry Bonds | Giants | Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia) |
| 1995 | Frank Thomas | White Sox | The Ballpark in Arlington (Arlington) |
| 1994 | Ken Griffey Jr. | Mariners | Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh) |
| 1993 | Juan Gonzalez | Rangers | Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore) |
| 1992 | Mark McGwire | Athletics | Jack Murphy Stadium (San Diego) |
| 1991 | Cal Ripken Jr. | Orioles | SkyDome (Toronto) |
| 1990 | Ryne Sandberg | Cubs | Wrigley Field (Chicago) |
| 1989* | Ruben Sierra | Rangers | Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim) |
| 1989* | Eric Davis | Reds | Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim) |
| 1987 | Andre Dawson | Cubs | Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland) |
| 1986* | Wally Joyner | Angels | Astrodome (Houston) |
| 1986* | Darryl Strawberry | Mets | Astrodome (Houston) |
| 1985 | Dave Parker | Reds | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Minneapolis) |
*Both 1986 and 1989 saw ties in the Home Run Derby
