SEATTLE — Baseball's annual showcase of light-tower power is here. The semifinals of the 2023 MLB Home Run Derby are underway at T-Mobile Park, following the matchup everyone was waiting for: hometown hero Julio Rodríguez vs. Derby king Pete Alonso. And Julio did not disappoint, shattering the single-round record with 41 homers in an electrifying performance in front of his home crowd.
In the first round, Tampa Bay Rays slugger Randy Arozarena kicked things off with 24 homers to win his matchup with Adolis Garcia. Then Adley Rutschman switch-hit his way to 27 dingers before Luis Robert Jr.