Our Own Cal Raleigh Won The Derby With 54 Bombs, But 2026 Rules Are Coming For That Number

Alright, fam, you guys gotta hear this! MLB is reportedly gearing up for another massive shift in the Home Run Derby, and honestly, it could change everything we know about those summer slugfests. Word on the street is they're ditching the clock for 2026, moving away from the timed format that's been in place since way back in 2015. Remember how our guy, Cal Raleigh, crushed it with 54 total home runs to win the 2025 Derby? That number, those massive totals, they might be a thing of the past really soon. This isn't just a tweak, it's a whole new ball game, and it puts our M's sluggers on notice.

The Clock Is Out, The Pressure Is ON

So, what's the deal with these new rules? Forget the clock, because the 2026 Home Run Derby is reportedly moving to a swing-count format instead. That's right, instead of a ticking timer, hitters will reportedly get 20 swings in the first round and then 15 swings in all the later rounds. Think about that for a second! With the old timed format, a hitter could find their rhythm, get into a groove, and just keep launching dingers. Pete Alonso hit a ridiculous 74 total home runs in 2021, and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. put up 72 in 2023. Those numbers came from sustained contact and pace. Now? Every single swing is going to matter. A miss, a mishit, a low-value

Trade on Every Game with Kalshi

Click Here to sign up to Kalshi — Free $10 when you sign up using our link or use code: ONTAPSEA. The only federally regulated prediction market in the US. Trade on real sports outcomes. Available in all 50 states.

swing, they all carry so much more weight. It's not about how many you *can* hit, but how *efficiently* you hit them.

Why 2015's 39 Dingers Are Suddenly The Key

To understand the potential impact, you gotta look back at the numbers. The first year of the timed era, 2015, saw Todd Frazier win with a winning total of just 39 home runs. Compare that to the monster totals we've seen in recent years, like Alonso's 74 or Vlad Jr.'s 72. Even our own Cal Raleigh's 54 in 2025 and Teoscar Hernandez's 49 in 2024 were well above that 2015 mark, but still a step down from the absolute peaks. These new swing-count rules are not going to take power out of the event, no way. But they absolutely could make efficiency more important than sheer volume. That 2015 number might just be a preview of how lower winning totals could become the norm again, because the way we judge Derby performances is about to get a complete overhaul. This is a wild development, and it makes you wonder what it means for future M's appearances. Will our sluggers like Cal Raleigh or Julio Rodriguez need to adjust their whole approach if they want to be the next Derby king? This past game against the Orioles was a tough one, with the Mariners falling 5-3 in the final, but our guys always fight. You know the Emerald City loves a good slugfest, and no matter the rules, we'll be ready to cheer for our M's to absolutely mash.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.