Although he's tied for second in MLB with 25 home runs this season, Nationals slugger Bryce Harper will not participate in the 30th anniversary of the Home Run Derby.
Harper told reporters Monday he won't be part of the Home Run Derby at Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati because his dad can't pitch to him because he is recovering from a rotator cuff tear suffered in a snowboarding accident.
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"Not having dad is a huge issue for me," said Harper, who was the leading vote-getter in the NL for the All-Star game, garnering 13,864,950 ballots.
Harper finished second to Yoenis Cespedes in the 2013 Home Run Derby at Citi Field with his father doing the pitching.
Harper entered Monday's game in Washington with 25 home runs and an incredible .347/.474/.722 slash line. He has already matched or surpassed his 2014 totals in homers (20), RBIs (43), runs (41) and walks (42).