Citizens Bank Park is about to go absolutely bonkers this Monday, July 13, at 8 p.m. ET, with the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby kicking off! Philly fans are gonna be absolutely fired up with a pair of hometown heroes, Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber, headlining the field and looking to literally send dingers into the stands at their home park. Schwarber is leading all of Major League Baseball with a mind-blowing 32 home runs, while Harper, who’s no stranger to this pressure, is the only player in the entire 2026 field who has won this event before. Talk about a veteran presence!
The Sluggers Stepping Up To The Plate
Beyond the Philly heavyweights, this Derby field is stacked with serious power. We've got rookie sensation Munetaka Murakami from the White Sox ready to show off, plus Boston’s Willson Contreras, who at 34 years old, is looking to etch his name in history as the second-oldest player ever to win this thing. The odds are out, and Schwarber is the clear favorite at +290. Junior Caminero is right behind him at +380, and Murakami rounds out the top three at +600. Keep an eye on first-time All-Star Jordan Walker, who's sitting at +700 alongside Jac Caglianone. Harper, despite his past win, is a bit of a longer shot at +900. And for those looking for a real longshot, Ben Rice is at +1000 and Contreras is at +1200. Will the favorite hold up, or will someone shock the world?MLB Unleashed A Wild New Derby Format
Get this, folks: Major League Baseball has completely ditched the round timer that we've all gotten used to! This year, every participant gets a specific number of swings in each round, which is a HUGE change. In Round 1, each slugger gets a full twenty swings to launch absolute moonshots. Then, for Round 2 and the final round, it’s fifteen swings per player. Every single swing counts toward that allotment, no matter what happens, and there isn't any bonus round. BUT, if a player hits a homer on their final swing of a round, they get to keep swinging until they fail to go yard! That’s gonna make for some insane finishes. The first round isn't bracketed either, which is wild. The four players with the most dingers in that initial stage will advance to Round 2. From there, they'll be seeded 1 through 4 based on their Round 1 HR totals. So, the No. 1 seed takes on No. 4, and No. 2 battles No. 3. The winners of those matchups move on to the final round for all the marbles. If there's a tie in Round 1, the player with the longest home run advances, which is a total game-changer. For Round 2 and the final, tiebreakers get even more intense, with each participant getting three swings in a sudden-death swing-off. It’s all set up for an unforgettable night of bombs! The stage is set for an epic display of power hitting this Monday night. With a field full of sluggers and a brand new format, expect pure chaos and incredible moments. Who’s going to step up and etch their name into Derby history? We can't wait to find out!This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.