Teoscar Hernández Claims HR Derby Title

It was just a few days before this year’s Home Run Derby participants were finalized. While other stars were invited early to the contest, Teoscar Hernández had to lobby to join the field. He was the last contestant to be selected. 

By Earl Heath | Contributing Sports Writer

It was just a few days before this year’s Home Run Derby participants were finalized. While other stars were invited early to the contest, Teoscar Hernández had to lobby to join the field. He was the last contestant to be selected. 

“I’m here,” Hernández said confidently, just hours after learning he would also be an All-Star starter as well, filling in at center field for the injured Fernando Tatis Jr., “and I’m as talented as all those guys over there.”

After advancing by one home run in the first round, Hernández was tied with Alec Bohm at 14 home runs apiece in the semifinal. 

With the new rules, ties after the second and third rounds are determined by a swing-off in which players get three swings to determine the winner. Hernández won the swing-off two homers to one to advance to the final.

The DODGER outfielder had 14 homers as did Bobby Witt Jr.-Thus bring on overtime . Tension was high as Witt also hit 11 in regular time, and even more so when he came one away from tying the score in bonus time. But his last swing just fell short, hitting off the left-center-field wall, to give Hernández the victory.

Hernández made his presence felt for the DODGERS all season long. He became a dependable clutch hitter for his new team, logging 62 RBI at the All-Star Break—only Shohei Ohtani has more on the Dodgers. He’s also in second when it comes to hits with runners in scoring position (28, behind Freddie Freeman).

“He’s been a stalwart,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, who has compared Hernández to Manny Ramirez. “He’s driven in a lot of big runs for us, taken a lot of good at-bats. To have a guy in there that hits righties, hits lefties, can slug and can smell a run batted in – it’s been big.”

Hernandez had Derby  help from a crafty veteran. It was seventeen years ago, DODGER third base coach Dino Ebel threw to the Pedro Guerrero as he won the Home Run Derby in 2007. This year at Globe Life Field in Texas, Ebel was victorious on the mound again as the batting practice extraordinaire Hernandez becomes the first Dodgers batter to win the derby. 

Ebel found a rhythm with Hernández by watching his player’s shoulders. When they dropped, Ebel knew Hernández was ready for the pitch. 

In the first round, Hernández told Ebel he wanted the ball down the middle or middle-up.  “After we advanced, he said, ‘Dino, throw it down the middle and let me do my thing,'” Ebel relayed. 

“I just try to not put extra pressure on [myself in those situations], or get anxious,” said Hernández. “Just try to calm down, slow my body down and get a pitch that I can put in play.”

It’s that understanding of not only how to get a much-needed hit, but also of how that hit can be just as good as a homer, that manager Dave Roberts appreciates.

Hernández kept that in mind while prepping for the Home Run Derby and was careful not to overswing, instead opting to retain his usual, compact swing as much as possible.

“It’s huge,” Roberts said of Hernández’s impact. “And he’s done it time and time again.”

Witt Jr. the son of former Major Leaguer Bobby Sr,grew up in nearby Colleyville, Texas — “My house, I mapped it out today, is 20 minutes away from here,” he said before the event — and had a bevy of family and friends in attendance. 

Six years after winning the 2018 High School Home Run Derby, he came just feet short of having an opportunity to win the major-league competition and had the crowd behind him in the final round. Like Hernández with the Dodgers, Witt would have been the first Royal to win the event.

Hernandez became the seventh Dominican-born player to win the Derby, and the second in three years, joining Juan Soto (2022). Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Hernández’s former Blue Jays teammate who last year became part of the first father-son Derby-winning duo, was born in Canada.

Guerrero gave a righteous gift- the home run title chain – “From a Derby champ to a Derby champ,” Guerrero said. “I’m feeling very, very proud of Teo. He’s a great friend of mine. He’s my brother. My ex-teammate. What can I say about Teo? I’m so proud of him right now.”