Giancarlo Stanton-Gary Sanchez Matchup Highlights MLB Home Run Derby Bracket
July 5, 2017
On Wednesday, Major League Baseball released the bracket for the 2017 Home Run Derby at Marlins Park in Miami:
The event will take place Monday at 8 p.m. ET.
Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton will be the front-runner after winning last year's event by hitting a record 61 total home runs and finishing in style with 20 dingers in the final round.
Stanton will face New York Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez, who has just 13 homers this season and earned the ire of Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Logan Morrison, who has bashed 24 dingers but wasn't selected to participate in the contest.
"Gary shouldn't be there," Morrison told Marc Topkin of the Tampa Bay Times. "Gary's a great player, but he shouldn't be in the Home Run Derby. I remember when I had 14 home runs. That was a month and a half ago."
Sanchez was diplomatic in his response.
"It's not my fault he didn't get selected," Sanchez said, per ESPN, before adding: "What can I say? They gave me a call, gave me an invitation to participate."
The contest will highlight some of the most productive sluggers in baseball today.
New York Yankees phenom Aaron Judge, who leads MLB with 29 home runs, will face Miami Marlins slugger Justin Bour (15 homers, 54 RBI). Kansas City Royals third baseman Mike Moustakas, tied for third in the majors with 24 homers, takes on Minnesota Twins third baseman Miguel Sano (20 homers, 60 RBI). And Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Cody Bellinger (24 dingers, 56 RBI) will face Colorado Rockies outfielder Charlie Blackmon (18 homers, 59 RBI).
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