What channel is the Home Run Derby on today? Time, participants for 2021 MLB All-Star contest

After an absence in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Home Run Derby is back. 

And it should return with a bang. Coors Field is one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in baseball, with Baseball Savant listing it as the fifth-best stadium to hit home runs. 

This will also be the sixth season the derby is conducted in brackets. The sluggers will be paired off in brackets aiming to out-hit the other in a format that has become popular among fans for its fast-paced action. 

Here’s a breakdown of how you can watch the Home Run Derby on Monday. 

MORE: Watch the Home Run Derby live with fuboTV (7-day free trial)

What channel is the Home Run Derby on today? 

  • TV channel: ESPN | ESPN2 (Statcast)
  • Live stream: ESPN+ | fuboTV

Looking to see some baseballs put into orbit? Tune into ESPN to watch the action at Coors Field. If you’re interested in the numbers behind each long ball, follow the event on ESPN2, where the Statcast broadcast will be carried. Karl Ravech and Eduardo Perez will be in the booth for the coverage on ESPN with Buster Olney and Marly Rivera reporting on the broadcast, while Jason Benetti, Jessica Mendoza and Mike Petriello will call the Statcast edition. 

For those wanting to stream the event online, fans can find the broadcast on ESPN+ and on fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial

What time does the Home Run Derby start?

  • Time: 8 p.m. ET / 5 p.m. PT

Live coverage of the Home Run Derby will start on Monday at 7 p.m. ET with Baseball Tonight airing on ESPN and on ESPN2, with the latter being the Statcast Edition. The derby itself will begin at 8 p.m. ET. 

2021 Home Run Derby participants

The 2021 field looks set to deliver a thrilling show on Monday. There’s two-way phenom Shohei Ohtani, reigning derby champ Pete Alonso, hometown hero Trevor Story and young star Juan Soto all set to take their swings in Coors Field. And that’s just a start. Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo might have the most raw power of any player in the majors, Royals catcher Salvador Perez could become the first catcher to win the derby, Athletics first baseman Matt Olson has been one of the best power hitters in the past four years and Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini is having a remarkable comeback season after beating cancer. 

Here’s how the first round of brackets will shape up in the first round of the Home Run Derby. 

Bracket 1

Seed Batter
1 Shohei Ohtani
8 Juan Soto

Bracket 2

Seed Batter
4 Salvador Perez
5 Pete Alonso

Bracket 3

Seed Batter
2 Joey Gallo
7 Trevor Story

Bracket 4

Seed Batter
3 Matt Olson
6 Trey Mancini

Past Home Run Derby champions

Only one player has won the derby three times, and that would be Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who won the second of his three crowns in Coors Field back in 1998. He went on to win the next year at Fenway Park for his second straight title — the first of two players to win in back-to-back years. Yoenis Cespedes was the second batter to win in back-to-back years, when he won in 2013 and 2014. If Alonso wins this year, he’d be the third player to win in two straight derbies. 

Here’s the full list of past champions in the Home Run Derby. 

Year Player Team Park (City)
2019 Pete Alonso Mets Progressive Field (Cleveland)
2018 Bryce Harper Nationals Nationals Park (Washington, D.C.)
2017 Aaron Judge Yankees Marlins Park (Miami)
2016 Giancarlo Stanton Marlins Petco Park (San Diego)
2015 Todd Frazier Reds Great American Ballpark (Cincinnati)
2014 Yoenis Cespedes Athletics Target Field (Minneapolis)
2013 Yoenis Cespedes Athletics Citi Field (New York City)
2012 Prince Fielder Tigers Kauffman Park (Kansas City)
2011 Robinson Cano Yankees Chase Field (Phoenix)
2010 David Ortiz Red Sox Angel Stadium (Anaheim)
2009 Prince Fielder Brewers Busch Stadium (St. Louis)
2008 Justin Morneau Twins Yankee Stadium (New York City)
2007 Vladimir Guerrero Angels AT&T Park (San Francisco)
2006 Ryan Howard Phillies PNC Park (Pittsburgh)
2005 Bobby Abreu Phillies Comerica Park (Detroit)
2004 Miguel Tejada Orioles Minute Maid Park (Houston)
2003 Garret Anderson Angels U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago)
2002 Jason Giambi Yankees Miller Park (Milwaukee)
2001 Luis Gonzalez Diamondbacks Safeco Field (Seattle)
2000 Sammy Sosa Cubs Turner Field (Atlanta)
1999 Ken Griffey Jr. Mariners Fenway Park (Boston)
1998 Ken Griffey Jr. Mariners Coors Field (Colorado)
1997 Tino Martinez Yankees Jacobs Field (Cleveland)
1996 Barry Bonds Giants Veterans Stadium (Philadelphia)
1995 Frank Thomas White Sox The Ballpark in Arlington (Arlington)
1994 Ken Griffey Jr. Mariners Three Rivers Stadium (Pittsburgh)
1993 Juan Gonzalez Rangers Oriole Park at Camden Yards (Baltimore)
1992 Mark McGwire Athletics Jack Murphy Stadium (San Diego)
1991 Cal Ripken Jr. Orioles SkyDome (Toronto)
1990 Ryne Sandberg Cubs Wrigley Field (Chicago)
1989* Ruben Sierra Rangers Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim)
1989* Eric Davis Reds Anaheim Stadium (Anaheim)
1987 Andre Dawson Cubs Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum (Oakland)
1986* Wally Joyner Angels Astrodome (Houston)
1986* Darryl Strawberry Mets Astrodome (Houston)
1985 Dave Parker Reds Hubert H. Humphrey Metrodome (Minneapolis)

*Both 1986 and 1989 saw ties in the Home Run Derby

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