NBC 7’s Ben Rosehart takes a closer look at the eight entrants who will be competing in the T-Mobile All-Star Home Run Derby Monday in this commentary.
An added bonus for local baseball fans is that Padres first baseman Wil Myers will double-dip in the two main events of MLB All-Star Week.
One day before he represents the Padres in the Midsummer Classic, Myers will have his first opportunity to wow fans as one of eight participants in the Home Run Derby.
The first baseman stated Thursday that he plans to have his younger brother, Bo Myers, be his pitcher for the event.
Myers enters Friday leading the Padres with 19 dingers while also holding a solid .291 batting average.
He will be matched up against Reds outfielder Adam Duvall in the bracket.
Duvall has already smacked 22 homers and will be looking to give Cincinnati back-to-back winners in the event.
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Former Reds slugger Todd Frazier (who now plays for the White Sox) is back to defend his title after winning last summer at Grand American Park.
Frazier will be matched up with Rockies outfielder Carlos Gonzalez in the first round. “Cargo” has been blasting homers for years – even when not in the high altitude of Coors Field.
Along with Frazier, Robinson Cano of the Mariners returns with a little bit of experience in this event.
Cano won in 2011 when he was still wearing Yankees pinstripes at Chase Field in Arizona.
Cano will face off with Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton who is originally from Southern California.
Stanton cooled off after a hot start, but recently crushed a pair of homers in back-to-back games against the Mets to raise his season-total to 19.
The top-seeded entrant is Baltimore’s Mark Trumbo who leads the majors with 26 homers (entering Friday).
Trumbo will bat against young Dodgers shortstop Corey Seager who is only 22 but has already hit 17 bombs.
Seager will become only the 7th rookie selected to compete in the derby. That list includes current Padres bench coach Mark McGwire (1987) and former USD star Kris Bryant (2015).
How cool would it to be see Myers send a bunch of screamers into the San Diego air to the delight of the hometown fans?
Don’t be surprised if he ends up making the final.
