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Athletics' Matt Olson to Compete in 2021 MLB Home Run Derby
July 6, 2021
Oakland Athletics slugger Matt Olson announced Tuesday he would be participating in this year's Home Run Derby.
The annual event will take place on Monday, July 12, at Coors Field in Denver and broadcast on ESPN.
The other confirmed participants are Los Angeles Angels multipositional superstar Shohei Ohtani, New York Mets reigning Derby champ Pete Alonso, Colorado Rockies slugger Trevor Story, Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini and Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez.
Olson, 27, is having a monster season for the Athletics, hitting .282 with 20 homers, 53 RBI, 51 runs and a .923 OPS. He was named to his first All-Star team for his efforts.
"Definitely something you dream about as a little kid, being in the All-Star Game one day," he told reporters Sunday. "It's a special moment, I think you guys know I'm kind of a win-first guy and let everything else fall into place. I do truly believe that."
"It's going to be cool to have this moment and reflect back on it," he added.
It's no surprise that he's registering major power numbers—before 2020's shortened season, he had posted three straight years with 24 or more home runs, including a career-high 36 in 2019. He's currently on pace to break that mark.
He's also no slouch in the field, with two Gold Gloves to his name. But it's his power numbers that have made him both an All-Star and a participant in this year's Home Run Derby.