When is the Home Run Derby? Time, TV schedule, participants & more to watch MLB’s 2021 contest

Get ready to see some baseballs get hit a long way. 

Eight of MLB’s best power hitters will step into the batters’ box at Coors Field — one of the most hitter-friendly ballparks in the sport — for the 2021 Home Run Derby. 

And there are some exciting stories to follow in this year’s derby. Can Shohei Ohtani become the first pitcher to win it all? Will Pete Alonso be the third player to win back-to-back titles? Is Trevor Story set to become the fourth hometown hero to put on a show for the local fans? 

Here’s all the information you need to watch the Home Run Derby on Monday. 

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

When is the Home Run Derby in 2021?

  • Date: Monday, July 12
  • Time: 8 p.m. ET

MLB’s 2021 Home Run Derby is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 12. It lasts three rounds, with eight MLB players slugging it out in a bracket-style competition until a champion is crowned. 

How to watch the 2021 Home Run Derby

Fans will have two options when it comes to watching the 2021 Home Run Derby. There will be the traditional broadcast with Karl Ravech, Eduardo Perez, Buster Olney and Marly Rivera calling the game on ESPN, and there will be the Statcast edition on ESPN2 with Jason Benetti, Jessica Mendoza and Mike Petriello. 

Both options will be available for streaming on ESPN+ or fuboTV, which offers a seven-day free trial

Home Run Derby participants 2021

The field for the 2021 Home Run Derby was finalized this week, with the final three — Matt Olson, Juan Soto and Joey Gallo — confirmed to join Shohei Ohtani, Pete Alonso, Trey Mancini Trevor Story and Salvador Perez in Coors Field on Monday to participate in the slugfest. 

The brackets for the first round of the tournament were finalized on Wednesday night as well, with the winner of Ohtani vs. Soto set to face off against Perez vs. Alonso on one side of the semifinals and the winner of Gallo vs. Story poised to battle the victor of Olson vs. Mancini on the other side. The winners of the semifinals will then clash to decide the 2021 Home Run Derby champion. 

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

Here’s who has won the Home Run Derby in the past. Ken Griffey Jr. is the only hitter to win the derby in Colorado. He also holds the record for the most Home Run Derby wins overall, sitting at three, including 1998 and 1999 when he became the first player to win the event in back-to-back years. 

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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