Hernandez beats Witt to become first Dodger to win HR derby crown

ARLINGTON, Texas — When the final swing of the 2024 Home Run Derby launched a ball into the night at Globe Life Field, Bobby Witt Jr. narrowed his eyes and Teoscar Hernandez held his breath. An otherwise-unusual derby was suddenly headed for a dramatic finish – one that would have come just a few feet away.

The ball off Witt’s bat ultimately hit the base of the center-field fence, sending him dejected and Hernandez’s arms thrown into the air in triumph. In the derby final, Hernandez defeated Witt by the narrowest of margins: 14 home runs to 13, just as he survived a swing-off to win by a homer in the semi-finals.

The 31-year-old Hernandez, a widely beloved teammate and consistent power source over the past decade, became the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to win the derby. He took home the $1 million prize, a medal with the words Derby Champion written on it and the distinction of standing up against perhaps baseball’s best young star and matching him for an even bigger swing.

“It doesn’t matter who I’m going up against. I’m going to bet on myself,” said Hernandez, who entered the derby with the sixth-longest odds of the eight-man field. “People probably underestimate me. You could see it at the end when Witt was hitting all those homers. Everybody was shooting for him. But I’m as talented as all those guys. They may be young, But the talent is the same.”

Witt, the Kansas City Royals shortstop who grew up 20 minutes from Globe Life Field, won the high school home run derby six years ago at the All-Star Game in Washington, D.C., and was set to do so again Monday. It was visible. The new format of the event seemed to benefit young and athletic players: they could see a maximum of 40 pitches in three minutes, then hit as many home runs as possible before missing three in the bonus round. In the final the time was reduced to two minutes and the pitch to 27 minutes.

Taking part in his first derby, Hernández became the seventh player from the Dominican Republic to win this competition. He was hot midway through his final round and had a strong lead over Witt, who was struggling to start his round.

By the end, Witt had hit 11 home runs, and he earned an extra out in bonus time by hitting the ball more than 425 feet.

“I was nervous,” Hernandez said.

The nervousness was understandable, especially on the last swing. With his brother-in-law James Russell – a former reliever for the Chicago Cubs – throwing at his side, Witt hit a ball to center field.

Although this is normally a dead zone for home run contests, Witt hit it well enough to convince many of the 38,578 attendees that Witt had tied Hernandez.

“I thought I had a chance when I hit it,” Witt said, “but I saw it was a little high.”

Hernandez celebrated with his former teammate and 2023 Derby champion, Vladimir Guerrero, who was wearing Hernandez’s jersey from his days with the Toronto Blue Jays. This is where Hernandez developed into the type of power threat the Dodgers sought this winter and is a one-year free agent to join Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddy Freeman in Los Angeles’ powerful lineup. contract signed.

Hernandez will start in center field for the National League on Tuesday and was invited as part of a field that lacked the star power of the derby last decade, which was won by Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Juan Soto. Hernandez barely reached the semifinals, finishing in the first round behind Philadelphia third baseman Alec Bohm, Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez, and Witt. Two-time derby champion Pete Alonso missed out on just 12 home runs, as did Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna, Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson and hometown favorite Adolis Garcia of the Texas Rangers, who finished one home run behind Hernandez’s 19.

In the semi-finals, Hernandez and Boehm tied each other with 14 home runs in their allotted 40 pitches and bonus time. Hernandez would benefit from the precise pitching of Dodgers coach Dino Abel, a veteran of several previous Home Run Derby contests, in a three-swing winner-take-all overtime.

Hernandez homered on his second and third cuts. Boehm hit a shot to left field on the second pitch but his third swing landed softly in the outfield grass.

“I do this every day,” Abel said. “That’s my job. I always joke with the players: My job is to delve into batting practice. I just find where they like it.”

Waiting for him was Witt, who has long admired Hernandez and his abilities as an all-around hitter who also possesses game-changing power.

“I knew he got his energy going all over the field whenever he played,” Witt said. “So, it was cool to see him do that.”

Many others agreed. On a night without any long home runs – Ozuna hit the farthest at 473 feet – or rounds with big scores, the ending shocked everyone.

And that sets up a potential return for Guerrero next year, provided his friend – the new champion – is looking for a repeat.

“If Teoskar does it,” Guerrero told ESPN’s Alden Gonzalez, “I’m in.”