When MLB moved the All-Star Game to Coors Field in Colorado, it created the possibility for the sport’s biggest bats to launch balls to the moon in the 2021 Home Run Derby. And with temperatures high and the humidity low, the sky’s the limit on Monday night.
Eight players will compete in a knockout format to crown a longball champion for this year’s All-Star Game. Here’s a look at the current Home Run Derby odds, and an overview of each player’s chances of taking home the trophy as baseball’s dinger king.
Shohei Ohtani (33 HR)
Shohei Ohtani has emerged as the biggest star in baseball. On Monday, the American League announced him as its starting pitcher in the All-Star Game. Ohtani has hit massive homers all year long, and has been red hot as of late. He comes in as the No. 1 seed and a +210 favorite to win the Home Run Derby, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
buh BYE 👋 pic.twitter.com/NsiQ9vB9yR
— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) July 10, 2021
Ohtani isn’t a lock by any means, but he is a deserving favorite who will be looking to put on a show at the plate and on the mound during the All-Star festivities.
Joey Gallo (24 HR)
The Texas Rangers slugger has hit 11 home runs in his last 12 games, and enters the Home Run Derby as the +330 second choice. Gallo’s incredible streak of homers heading into the event has also made him the No. 2 seed, and a finals showdown with Ohtani could be in the cards on Monday night.
| Home Run Derby Odds (via FanDuel Sportsbook) | |
| Shohei Ohtani: +210 | Joey Gallo: +330 |
| Pete Alonso: +500 | Matt Olson: +600 |
| Trevor Story: +750 | Juan Soto: +900 |
| Salvador Perez: +2000 | Trey Mancini: +2000 |
Pete Alonso (17 HR)
Alonso hasn’t quite lived up to expectations this year, hitting just 17 home runs in the first half to snag the No. 5 seed in the bracket. But the Mets slugger has flashed more power as of late, and he’s the only former Home Run Derby winner in the field, having earned the title in 2019. That’s enough to make him the +500 third pick at FanDuel. A semifinal showdown between Alonso and Ohtani could be a jaw-dropping affair.
Matt Olson (23 HR)
Olson plays in relative obscurity with the Oakland Athletics, but there’s no denying his raw power. He comes in as the No. 3 seed and a +600 choice to win the Home Run Derby. His biggest advantage may be the fact that he plays in Oakland Coliseum, a notoriously difficult park in which to hit home runs. In Coors Field, he may easily clear the fences time and again.
Trevor Story (11 HR)
Story comes in as the No. 7 seed, but FanDuel lists him as a respectable +750 pick to win the contest. That largely comes down to home-field advantage. The Rockies shortstop may not be playing in front of his home fans, but he knows Coors Field better than any other player in the field, and knows what it takes to get the ball over the fence.
Juan Soto (11 HR)
Like Story, Soto hasn’t shown tremendous power this year despite putting up huge numbers in the past two seasons. The Nationals outfielder comes in as a +900 pick based largely on his proven ability to hit homers. His biggest problem is having to face Shohei Ohtani in the opening round.
Salvador Perez (21 HR)
Perez enters as one of the two +2000 long shots in the Home Run Derby. He is enjoying the best power year of his career thus far, as the Royals catcher has never finished a season with 30 or more homers. While he’s crushing the ball this year, Perez may not have the legs to keep up with the other sluggers over three rounds.
Trey Mancini (16 HR)
Mancini has put together an excellent season for the struggling Baltimore Orioles. However, he’s never ranked among the top MLB sluggers, even though he hit 35 homers in 2019. While Mancini can certainly win a round, it’s hard to imagine he’ll knock off three of the other names on this list consecutively to claim the Home Run Derby crown this year.
