After a year off due to the pandemic, Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby returns at Coors Field in Denver on Monday, July 12 as part of baseball’s All-Star festivities.
Players and fans alike are excited to see how far homers will go in the famously hitter-friendly ballpark. The Mets’ Pete Alonso won the 2019 event in Cleveland and will return to defend his crown against a field of baseball’s top sluggers.
Shohei Ohtani, leading the majors in home runs at the break, is the No. 1 overall seed in the bracket and will face 22-year-old Nationals star Juan Soto in the first round. Alonso is the only player in the group who has participated in the event before.
Here’s everything you need to know for this year’s slugfest:
Time: 8 p.m. ET on Monday
TV channel: ESPN
Live stream: WatchESPN.com
Betting odds: SportsBookWire.usatoday.com
Who is in the MLB Home Run Derby?
The 2021 Home Run Derby has eight participants:
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Shohei Ohtani – Los Angeles Angels
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Joey Gallo – Texas Rangers
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Matt Olson – Oakland Athletics
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Salvador Perez – Kansas City Royals
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Pete Alonso – New York Mets
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Trey Mancini – Baltimore Orioles
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Trevor Story – Colorado Rockies
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Juan Soto – Washington Nationals
2021 MLB Home Run Derby bracket, matchups
First round:
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No. 1 Shohei Ohtani (Angels) vs. No. 8 Juan Soto (Nationals)
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No. 2 Joey Gallo (Rangers) vs. No. 7 Trevor Story (Rockies)
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No. 3 Matt Olson (Athletics) vs. No. 6 Trey Mancini (Orioles)
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No. 4 Salvador Perez (Royals) vs. No. 5 Pete Alonso (Mets)
Where is the MLB Home Run Derby?
The Home Run Derby and All-Star Game are at Coors Field in Denver, home of the Colorado Rockies. The derby was held here in 1998, with future Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. taking home the crown.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB Home Run Derby 2021: Time, how to watch on TV, stream, matchups