Petco Park isn't exactly known for offense, but the long balls will come fast and furious on Monday night with the 2016 MLB Home Run Derby in San Diego.
Home Run Derby 2016: Time, TV schedule, participants and more
The annual showcase of essentially the most fun batting practice session of the season will be televised by ESPN beginning at 8 p.m. ET, with Chris Berman on the call alongside “Sunday Night Baseball” regulars Aaron Boone and Jessica Mendoza.
The eight contestants this year are a mix of established stars, past Home Run Derby champions, and rookies.
Baltimore Orioles outfielder Mark Trumbo leads the major leagues with 28 home runs, but during the weekend wasn't the favorite. Trumbo was given 15/4 odds by the Bovada sports book to win the event, but Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton has 13/4 odds.
Stanton has the two longest home runs of the season by Statcast, including this one at 475 feet:
But Colorado Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez is also a force to be reckoned with, with four of the top eight distances in MLB this season.
Chicago White Sox third baseman Todd Frazier, last year's winner, is in the field, as is 2011 Home Run Derby champion Robinson Cano, now with the Seattle Mariners. They are joined by a trio of first-time derby participants in Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager, Cincinnati Reds outfielder Adam Duvall and first-time All-Star and host Wil Myers of the San Diego Padres.
There is often a familial aspect to the event. Cano’s father pitched to him when he won in Kansas City in 2011, and this year Seager will have his father Jeff pitch to him. Myers will have his younger brother Beau, a freshman baseball player at Appalachian State, pitch to him on Monday.
“He sent me a couple of videos of him throwing BP in the cage, so hopefully he’s ready,” Myers told Fox Sports San Diego on Thursday. “Win or lose, it doesn’t really matter. It’s a cool thing for me and him to do. It’s something we’ll remember for a long time.”
The contestants are seeded based on total home runs through last Wednesday, with Mark Trumbo the No. 1 seed all the way down through No. 8 seed Corey Seager. The competition consists of three timed rounds in a single elimination bracket, each round with head-to-head matchups.
Bracket
Home Run Derby Info
Location: Petco Park, San Diego
Time: 8 p.m. ET
TV: ESPN
Online: Watch ESPN
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Madison Bumgarner deserved to be a Derby participant
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