The MLB All-Star Week begins with the always popular Home Run Derby on Monday night at 7 p.m. CT on ESPN. Two-time winner Pete Alonso will participate, but this year’s top home run hitters, Shohei Ohtani and Matt Olson, are not in the field. The top four seeds in the derby are among the leaders in home runs this season, while the other participants are lower on the list.
The winner of the derby will receive a $1 million prize and the Home Run Derby Chain, a three-pound necklace with Swarovski Crystal embellishments. ESPN2 will provide an alternate feed with analytics-driven graphics and real-time ball-flight animations through its StatCast coverage.
The Home Run Derby has garnered strong ratings in recent years, and last year’s coverage was only slightly down from the record set in 2021. The viewership numbers for the derby are comparable to the viewership for the All-Star Game itself.