The Home Run Derby is arguably the most fun event of MLB All-Star week, and it has a new sheen to it this year.
Netflix will televise baseball’s midsummer show of strength, rather than ESPN, which could add an element of surprise to the proceedings. Just who will show up on screen in between those prodigious swings?
Rather than timed rounds that have dictated the competition for the past 11 years, the Derby will return to a swing-based system in hopes that the participants won’t tire out and lose strength as the competition progresses.
Adding to the fun, the Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber (the favorite) and Bryce Harper will swing for their home fans in Philadelphia. What if teammates face off for the championship? The Rays’ Junior Caminero (last year’s runner-up), Yankees’ Ben Rice, Royals’ Jac Caglianone, Red Sox’s Willson Contreras, Cardinals’ Jordan Walker and White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami will also vie for the trophy and $1 million prize.
Start time: 8 p.m. ET
Location: Citizens Bank Park | Philadelphia
Live stream: Netflix
Follow along with Yahoo Sports for the latest updates and highlights from the 2026 Home Run Derby.
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Andy Backstrom
Here’s the breakdown: Eight hitters will make up the first round, the second round will consist of four hitters, and the final round will pit the final two against each other. Head-to-head competition begins in the second round, setting up a four-player semifinals to determine the two-way final. Prior to the semifinals, the four advancing players will be seeded based on their first-round homer totals.
The big difference is that each participant will have 20 swings at his disposal in the first round, and those who are still raking in the final two rounds will have 15 swings in their turns at the plate.
If a player goes yard on his final swing, he will be allowed to keep going until a swing doesn’t result in a home run. Farthest home-run distance will break first-round ties, and ties in the second and third rounds will be decided by the players in question engaging in three-swing swing-offs until a winner is determined.
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