Baltimore Orioles’ Pete Alonso Comments on MLB’s Big Change
· Yahoo Sports
The MLB Home Run Derby will look a lot different in 2026. After a decade of the timed format established in 2015, this year's event is reverting back to a swing-based format.
Visit freshyourfeel.com for more information.
Eight players will still compete, but rather than seeing how many home runs they can hit within a set time, each competitor will receive a decided number of swings. That is 20 in the first round, 15 in the second and 15 again in the final round.
The Baltimore Orioles have a two-time champion on their roster in first baseman Pete Alonso, who has never competed in a non-timed format despite winning twice during his time with the New York Mets. Speaking with reporters, Alonso weighed in on the change.
"I think it's really smart, because I think the whole specialness of the Derby is being able to see the swing and see the ball leave the bat, see the ball travel," Alonso said (h/t Jake Rill of MLB.com).
"I know more homers, obviously, are great, but I think there's a diminishing return, where the magic and the specialness of the Derby is allowing the people to watch the ball go over the wall and see how far it goes and see people go crazy for the ball and stuff like that."
He continued, "I think, for me, that's the magic and the allure of it and the specialness of the event. So I'm glad that they're changing it back."
Alonso is still undecided on whether or not he wants to compete this year. He has mentioned that if he does compete, he wants to make sure he is also actually in the All-Star Game itself, which is unlikely this year unless he earns a reserve selection.
That is not to say Alonso has not been exactly what the Orioles were hoping for in year one. Across 82 games, he has not missed a single contest, which has been huge for an Orioles team that has been hit with a wave of injuries all season.
He has posted a .253 batting average, .341 on-base percentage, .815 OPS, 18 home runs and 55 RBIs. He started slow but has fully acclimated, and in June he has been one of the better hitters in baseball.
The Orioles need him to keep producing. Entering Friday, they own a 38-44 record, but remain within striking distance of a playoff spot in a weak American League. Alonso staying healthy and continuing to hit the way he has in June gives Baltimore a legitimate reason to believe they can still make a push in the second half.