MLB was widely praised for its switch to a timed format at the Home Run Derby in 2015, a switch that also introduced a bracket to the derby. Over the years, however, the format led to some unintended consequences.
Each player's round became rushed as hitters and their pitchers tried to fit in as many pitches as possible in their timed window, and the overall product suffered at times because hitters easily became exhausted and pitchers were often unable to focus on delivering the best pitch.
MLB implemented changes in 2024 to try and remedy those issues while still largely sticking with the concept of a timed round. The same format will be used in 2025.
Here's a full breakdown of the Home Run Derby format and rules.
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Home Run Derby format and rules
First round
From 2015-2023, a bracket was set up based on each player's home run total from the first half of the season. That structure is gone. There is now no bracket in the first round, as all eight hitters will take their turn, and the top four home run hitters will simply advance to the semifinals.
That means a scenario in which a player excels in the first round but gets beaten out by a dominant opponent -- exactly what happened to Adley Rutschman in 2023 -- is gone.
Each player will have three minutes in the first round but, in an attempt to reduce the rushed cadence of the round, they can face a maximum of 40 pitches in those three minutes. Each player gets one timeout.
A tie between any hitters who finish the first round with the same number of home runs is broken by the longest home run.
Semifinals
A bracket is formed after the first round based on home run totals from that opening round. The player who hits the most home runs in the first round will face the player who had the fourth-highest home run total, while No. 2 and No. 3 will battle in the other semifinal matchup.
The semifinals otherwise follow the same structure as the first round, with hitters receiving three minutes, a timeout, and three bonus outs.
Finals
The winner of each semifinal matchup advances to the finals.
The structure changes a bit in the finals, as each player receives two minutes and a maximum of 27 pitches. Bonus rules stay the same, with each player receiving three bonus outs with the potential to earn a fourth. That could set up some tense moments at the end of the night.
What are the bonus time rules?
There used to be bonus time earned at the end of a round, but that's been changed to bonus outs.
Each player receives three bonus outs, meaning they can keep hitting until they've produced three swings that don't result in a home run. A home run that goes at least 425 feet earns a hitter a fourth bonus out.
The major ramification is that a player trailing by a significant margin can theoretically make up the deficit, something that wasn't necessarily true with limited bonus time.
Do hitters get timeouts?
Hitters receive one timeout in each round. Each player will also have a brief break before their bonus swings.
What happens if there is a tie?
Ties in the first round will be determined by the longest home run between players who hit the same number of home runs. Because there aren't any head-to-head matchups in the first round, no swing-offs will be necessary.
If a tie occurs in the semifinals or finals, a 60-second swing-off will be held to determine a winner. A tie after a swing-off would set up swing-offs consisting of three swings until a winner is determined.
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How are players chosen for the Home Run Derby?
MLB chooses players for the Home Run Derby through invitation, which players can then accept or decline. MLB usually starts with the top power hitters across the league, regardless if they are selected as an All-Star.
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How the Home Run Derby has changed over the years
The format for the Home Run Derby has changed multiple times over the event's 40-year history. From 1985-1994, the Derby was just one round, with the player who slugged the most homers claiming the title.
In 1995, second and third rounds were introduced. The top four home run hitters from the first round advanced to the second round, and the top two in the second round advanced to the final. Semifinal matchups were worked into the competition in 2003, with the No. 1 home run hitter from the first round meeting No. 4 and No. 2 and No. 3 facing off.
Ahead of the first World Baseball Classic in 2006, the 2005 Home Run Derby featured eight hitters from eight different countries. Bobby Abreu of Venezuela won the title.
In 2014, there were 10 hitters instead of the usual eight. Six hitters advanced past the first round with the top home run hitters from each league from the first round receiving a bye to the semifinals.
The bracket-style format with timed rounds was introduced in 2015, and in 2024, MLB returned to the 2003 format, but with timed rounds instead of outs.
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