Julio Rodriguez Made Home Run Derby History On Monday
Monday night marked the annual Home Run Derby.
This takes place a night before the All-Star Game and features some of the game’s best sluggers as they compete to determine the winner.
Seattle Mariners slugger Julio Rodriguez may not have won this year, but he still managed to make some derby history.
Last season, he reached the final round, eliminating two-time champion Pete Alonso before being defeated by Juan Soto.
This year, he faced Alonso again in the first round and broke a Home Run Derby record.
Rodriguez hit 41 home runs in the first round, which passed Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s record of 40 from 2019.
He also once again managed to eliminate Alonso.
ESPN Stats & Info provided this information on Twitter.
Julio Rodríguez has the most homers ever hit in a single HR Derby round.
He passed Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s 40 in 2nd round in 2019. pic.twitter.com/aCyCT4Ybq9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 11, 2023
The fans in Seattle were all hoping to see their hometown hero walk away as the Home Run Derby champion.
Though it didn’t happen, he still managed to make some impressive history.
The format for the Home Run Derby has changed in recent years.
There is now a time limit as opposed to 10 outs available for hitters.
This allows for a little more excitement and a longer period in which fans can see their favorite sluggers hit some homers.
And Rodriguez certainly put on a show for the hometown fans in Seattle.
And he ultimately came close to advancing all the way to the finals.
He was eliminated by Guerrero, who ended up winning, but not before he broke his Home Run Derby record from 2019.
Rodriguez earned American League Rookie of the Year honors last season and received a nice warm hand from the Seattle faithful.
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