The Home Run Derby is a staple of the baseball calendar, and the goal is the same regardless of the format: hit as many home runs as possible. With that being said, the derby has undergone some major format changes over the years.
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The most recent overhaul came in 2015, when MLB switched from an "outs" format to a format that relies on a clock. The new rules also introduced a bracket system to the derby.
While there have been a handful of tweaks to the format over the years, the 2015 changes were largely viewed as a success after their debut and appear to be here to stay.
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Here's a complete look at the 2023 Home Run Derby format as eight sluggers look to leave their mark on T-Mobile Park.
Home Run Derby format and rules
The single-elimination bracket was created based on each player's home run total on the night the Home Run Derby field was finalized. The player with the most home runs, Luis Robert, is the No. 1 seed.
First round
The first round is made up of four quarterfinal head-to-head matchups. In each matchup, the higher-seeded player hits second.
Hitters have three minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. The clock begins when the first pitch is thrown, and a home run hit after the clock runs out will count as long as the pitch was released before the timer hit zero. Hitters automatically get 30 seconds of bonus time added to their three minutes, and they can add 30 more seconds if at least two of their home runs travel 440 feet or more.
Hitters can take one 45-second timeout, but it cannot be used during bonus time. The round ends before the second hitter's timer runs out if he has already beaten his opponent's total.
Semifinals
The format in the semifinals is the same as the first round, with three minutes plus bonus time for the four remaining hitters.
The winner of the first-round matchup between Robert and Adley Rutschman will face the winner of the matchup between Randy Arozarena and Adolis Garcia. On the other side of the bracket, the winner of the matchup between Pete Alonso and Julio Rodriguez will face the winner of the matchup between Mookie Betts and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
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Final
The remaining two hitters face off against one another in the final. Here, they will get just two minutes each to hit as many home runs as possible.
But the bonus time rules remain the same. Both hitters will receive an automatic 30 seconds of bonus time, and two home runs of at least 440 feet will earn another 30 seconds of bonus time. By nature of the shorter clock, the final doesn't offer hitters as much time to hit 440-foot home runs as the earlier rounds do.
What happens if there is a tie?
Matchups occasionally end in a tie at the Home Run Derby. If two hitters are tied after a round, they will each get 60 seconds to hit as many home runs as possible. If the round remains tied after the 60-second tiebreakers, then hitters will participate in a swing-off of three swings each and continue until one has pulled ahead of the other.
Kyle Schwarber and Albert Pujols went to a tiebreaker in the first round of the 2022 Home Run Derby.
Do hitters get timeouts?
Hitters have one 45-second timeout to take during each round, but they must use it before bonus time. Hitters also briefly get a break before bonus time begins.
Home Run Derby bracket 2023
The full bracket for the 2023 Home Run Derby is below.
