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The Home Run Derby is an annual staple of the MLB All-Star Game festivities in mid-July with some looking forward to the derby more than the game itself. The concept is simple: line up the best home run hitters in the league and see who can smash the most in a short amount of time. That has created for some unforgettable moments for over three decades.
The idea for the event was inspired by the 1960 tv show Home Run Derby that featured the likes of Hank Aaron, Mickey Mantle, and Willie Mays. The annual competition began in 1985 and was first nationally televised on ESPN in 1993, albeit on tape delay. The 1998 edition at Coors Field was the first one to be aired live on ESPN and featured heavy hitters like Ken Griffey Jr., Chipper Jones, and Mark McGwire during his chase for Roger Maris’ single-season home run record. Since then, the competition has soared in popularity.
In the 35 editions of the home run derby, Griffey holds the record for most victories with three. The only other multi-time winners are Prince Fielder, Yoenis Céspedes, and Pete Alonso, who is looking to tie Griffey when competing in this year’s derby. Alonso also owns the all-time record for most career home runs in the competition with 131.
This year’s home run derby is set to take place on Monday, July 18 at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The event will begin at 8 p.m. ET and will be televised on ESPN.
HR Derby Winners
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Location |
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Runner-Up | Location |
| 1985 | Dave Parker (Reds) | Multiple Players | Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Twins) |
| 1986* | Wally Joyner (Angels) and Darryl Strawberry (Mets) | Tie | Astrodome (Astros) |
| 1987 | Andre Dawson (Cubs) | Ozzie Virgil Jr. (Braves) | Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum (Athletics) |
| 1988 | Rain out | N/A | N/A |
| 1989 | Eric Davis (Reds) | Ruben Sierra (Rangers) | Anaheim Stadium (Angles) |
| 1990 | Ryne Sandberg (Cubs) | Multiple Players with 1 | Wrigley Field (Cubs) |
| 1991 | Cal Ripken Jr. (Orioles) | Paul O'Neill (Reds) | SkyDome (Blue Jays) |
| 1992 | Mark McGwire (Athletics) | Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners) | Jack Murphy Stadium (Padres) |
| 1993 | Juan Gonzalez (Rangers) | Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners) | Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Orioles) |
| 1994 | Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners) | Fred McGriff (Braves) | Three Rivers Stadium (Pirates) |
| 1995 | Frank Thomas (White Sox) | Albert Belle (Indians) | The Ballpark in Arlington (Rangers) |
| 1996 | Barry Bonds (Giants) | Mark McGwire (Athletics) | Veterans Stadium (Phillies) |
| 1997 | Tino Martinez (Yankees) | Larry Walker (Rockies) | Jacobs Field (Indians) |
| 1998 | Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners) | Jim Thome (Indians) | Coors Field (Rockies) |
| 1999 | Ken Griffey Jr. (Mariners) | Jerome Burnitz (Brewers) | Fenway Park (Red Sox) |
| 2000 | Sammy Sosa (Cubs) | Ken Griffey Jr. (Reds) | Turner Field (Braves) |
| 2001 | Luis Gonzalez (Diamondbacks) | Sammy Sosa (Cubs) | Safeco Field (Mariners) |
| 2002 | Jason Giambi (Yankees) | Sammy Sosa (Cubs) | Miller Park (Brewers) |
| 2003 | Garret Anderson (Angels) | Albert Pujols (Cardinals) | U.S. Cellular Field (White Sox) |
| 2004 | Miguel Tejada (Orioles) | Lance Berkman (Astros) | Minute Maid Park (Astros) |
| 2005 | Bobby Abreu (Phillies) | Ivan Rodriguez (Tigers) | Comerica Park (Tigers) |
| 2006 | Ryan Howard (Phillies) | David Wright (Mets) | PNC Park (Pirates) |
| 2007 | Vladimir Guerrero (Angels) | Alex Rios (Blue Jays) | AT&T Park (Giants) |
| 2008 | Justin Morneau (Twins) | Josh Hamilton (Rangers) | Yankee Stadium (Yankees) |
| 2009 | Prince Fielder (Brewers) | Nelson Cruz (Rangers) | Busch Stadium (Cardinals) |
| 2010 | David Ortiz (Red Sox) | Hanley Ramirez (Marlins) | Angel Stadium of Anaheim (Angels) |
| 2011 | Robinson Cano (Yankees) | Adrian Gonzalez (Red Sox) | Chase Field (Diamondbacks) |
| 2012 | Prince Fielder (Tigers) | Jose Bautista (Blue Jays) | Kauffman Stadium (Royals) |
| 2013 | Yoenis Cespedes (Athletics) | Bryce Harper (Nationals) | Citi Field (Mets) |
| 2014 | Yoenis Cespedes (Athletics) | Todd Frazier (Reds) | Target Field (Twins) |
| 2015 | Todd Frazier (Reds) | Joc Pederson (Dodgers) | Great American Ball Park (Reds) |
| 2016 | Giancarlo Stanton (Marlins) | Todd Frazier (White Sox) | Petco Park (Padres) |
| 2017 | Aaron Judge (Yankees) | Miguel Sano (Twins) | Marlins Park (Marlins) |
| 2018 | Bryce Harper (Nationals) | Kyle Schwarber (Cubs) | Nationals Park (Nationals) |
| 2019 | Pete Alonso (Mets) | Vladmir Guerrero Jr (Blue Jays) | Progressive Field (Indians) |
| 2021 | Pete Alonso (Mets) | Trey Mancini (Orioles) | Coors Field (Rockies) |
| 2022 | Juan Soto (Nationals) | Julio Rodriguez (Mariners) | Dodger Stadium (Dodgers) |