In the grand coliseum of baseball, where the titans of the sport clash in a symphony of crackling bats and soaring balls, eight gladiators stand poised to etch their names in the annals of Home Run Derby history. These are not mere mortals, but the very paragons of power, the sultans of swat, the lords of the long ball. They are Pete Alonso, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Luis Robert, Julio Rodriguez, Adolis Garcia, Mookie Betts, Randy Arozarena, and Adley Rutschman. They clash at the 2023 Home Run Derby on Monday, July 10, 2023 at 8PM Eastern on ESPN.
The odds, those fickle numbers that dance and sway with the whims of the betting gods, have been set. They whisper of favorites and underdogs, of potential triumphs and possible upsets. They are the invisible hand that guides the fortunes of the Derby, the unseen force that shapes the narrative of this epic contest.
2023 MLB Home Run Derby Odds
Pete Alonso, New York Mets First Baseman, +300
Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Toronto Blue Jays First Baseman, +450
Luis Robert, Chicago White Sox Center Fielder, +500
Julio Rodriguez, Seattle Mariners Center Fielder, +550
Adolis Garcia, Texas Rangers Right Fielder, +600
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers Right Fielder, +900
Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays Left Fielder, +900
Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles Catcher, +1600
(Odds based on a consensus from Pregame.com as of Sunday, July 9th)
Each of these warriors carries a unique tale, a personal saga woven into the rich tapestry of baseball history. From Alonso, the Floridian powerhouse, to Rutschman, the dark horse from Baltimore, each player brings a unique blend of skill, power, and determination to the field.
In the following sections, we will delve into the stories of these eight contenders, exploring their journeys to the Home Run Derby and their chances of emerging victorious. We will examine their strengths, their weaknesses, and the intangible factors that could tip the scales in their favor. So, buckle up, dear reader, for we are about to embark on a thrilling ride into the heart of the Home Run Derby.
Pete Alonso – +300
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
In the grand amphitheater of baseball, where the titans of the sport clash in a contest of power and precision, one figure stands tall, his silhouette etched against the setting sun - Pete Alonso, the Herculean first baseman of the New York Mets. A two-time champion and three-time semi-finalist of the Home Run Derby, Alonso is no stranger to the thunderous applause that follows the crack of his bat. But this year, the stakes are higher, the lights brighter, and the echoes of history louder. With odds of +300, Alonso is the betting favorite, a gladiator stepping into the arena with the weight of expectation on his broad shoulders. Can he mount the chariot of history and tie Ken Griffey Jr. as the only men to be named Home Run Champion of the world not once, not twice, but thrice? The wind whispering out to left field T-Mobile park answers “…yes.”
Born in Tampa, Florida, Alonso's journey to the pinnacle of baseball was not a straight path but a winding road that took him from the sun-drenched fields of his high school to the hallowed grounds of the University of Florida. His baseball lineage is rich, with his mother, Michelle Lynn Alonso, a former college softball player, and his father, Peter Matthew Alonso, the son of Spanish refugees who found solace in the American dream.
As Alonso prepares for his fourth Home Run Derby, he's not alone. He's chosen a figure from his past to join him in this battle of titans - Mike Friedelin, his childhood coach. Whereas his last two selections were picked randomly out of a hat, this choice was the fulfillment of a promise made over a decade ago on a Tampa-area travel team. A pledge, nay, a blood pact, made by a young Alonso, who dared to dream big and is now living that dream on the grandest stage.
Alonso's choice of pitcher has always been a thoughtful process, a strategic decision that reflects his deep respect for the sport and the people who've shaped his career. Contrary to what we wrote in the last paragraph, in his Derby debut, he chose his cousin, Derek Morgan. The following year, he selected Dave Jauss, the Mets' bench coach at the time, whom Alonso considers part of his "baseball family." For Alonso, family-time is clobbering time.
This year, it's Friedlein's turn to offer greasy meatballs as tribute as the altar of Alonso. A recent practice session revealed Alonso's serious approach to the contest, mirroring the serious tones of this profile. He consistently walloped Friedelin’s pitches over the centerfield and leftfield walls, especially those in his preferred "money zone" - over the middle of the plate and slightly up. It was a display of power and precision, a testament to his previous glorious ascensions to the summit of Sluggers' Peak, and a harbinger of what's to come as Alonso attempts to plant his flag at the pinnacle yet again.
A third Derby win in his sights, Alonso hopes to tie Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr. for the most HR Derby wins ever. Griffey, a Seattle icon, will be present at the All-Star events as an ambassador, a silent sentinel of the record Alonso is chasing. It's as if the echoes of Griffey's own bat have been etched into the very air of Seattle, a spectral challenge that Alonso now seeks to answer. This twist of fate, this alignment of stars and stars, adds a layer of poetic symmetry to Alonso's quest, a narrative as beautifully fitting as a well-worn baseball glove.
Vlad Guerrero Jr. – +450
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
In the bustling burlesque of baseball, where the titanic lords of the league square off in a carnival of crack-hit consistency and raw, hard-hitting power, a sprightly prince of the game tiptoes out of obscurity - none other than Vladimir Guerrero Jr., the fearsome first baseman of the Toronto Blue Jays. He's a child of a legendary line, the offspring of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero Sr., a heritage that reverberates with the thunderous applause of adoring fans and the sweet, satisfying snap of a home run connection. With odds at a surprisingly precise +450, Guerrero Jr. steps up to the Home Run Derby, not as an average Joe with a bat, but as the dark horse of the derby, a major threat to all pretenders to the throne. Will he grasp this golden opportunity to chisel his name into the ever-durable granite of baseball lore? The bustling, diverse, international flair of Toronto’s Kensington Market clamors, “…yep.”
The saga of Vlad originates in Montreal, home of the legendary Expos of yesteryears. His dad, Vlad Sr., was akin to a tireless hamster on a wheel when it came to getting on base. Every at-bat for him was like a fresh injection of premium-grade hamster kibble into his feeding tube. He'd spring into action, scampering around the diamond with all the speed and gusto of a caffeine-fueled furball. And the opponents? Well, they were about as effective as a one-eyed house cat trying to catch that same over-caffeinated hamster - a frantic, chaotic spectacle full of missteps and wild lunges.
Thanks to his dad’s exploits in Montreal, Guerrero Jr.’s passport loudly trumpets his Canadian-ness, like a moose belting out 'O Canada' at the top of its lungs, testament to baseball's far-reaching tendrils of titillation. But his heartbeat? Well, that plays to the tune of the Dominican Republic - the land of sizzling salsa and baseball dreams, where he was marinated in the craft by his uncle and ex-MLB legend, Wilton Guerrero.
As Vlad the Jr. gears up for the home run extravaganza, he holds onto the wisdom of his familial tree and the aspirations of two nations. His training under Uncle Wilton's vigilant eyes has honed his skills to near perfection, comparable in exactness to the Hubble Space Telescope, meticulously calibrated by ground crews, piercing the veil of space and time to capture images of unfathomably distant celestial bodies. Except Guerrero’s celestial bodies are made of rubber – and they are sent to the sky with the celestial swing of his bat, soaring through the stratosphere of stadiums, much like a rogue comet streaking through the cosmos, leaving fans and players alike to gaze in awe at their fiery ascension, while the outfielders, like starstruck astronomers, could only stretch their gloves in vain, their arms not long enough to box with god or grabble with Guerrero's intergalactic might.
His swing, a symphony of brute force and precision, is a living, breathing ode to the endless hours spent perfecting his craft. Many say, when Guerrero was born, Messiah Antonio Stradivari began work on a mythological bat, which he handed Guerrero on his 18th birthday.
However, Vlad's journey isn't just a personal vanity project. It's about mending the bridges his father couldn't cross and etching out his unique path. His well-publicized gripe against the Yankees, a team that's been a regular sourpuss to his dad, stands witness to this. His vow to never don the Yankees’ pinstripes channels the audacity of Ken Griffey Jr., another baseball offspring who chose to forge his own destiny. It's as if Griffey’s spirit of mutiny has been passed on to Vlad, a phantom torch he carries with pride.
This constellation of destinies and stars adds a whimsical poetic twist to Vlad's quest. As he saunters up to the plate in the Home Run Derby, Vlad bears the weight of a nation - nay nations! - aloft his princely shoulders, along with his father’s towering legacy, and the dreams of a young Montreal boy who dared to wallop. Can he climb the mountain, become the king, and etch his name into the annals of baseball history? The ebb and flow of the crowd, the crisp crack of his bat, and the soaring journey of the ball will spin the tale.
Luis Robert Jr. – +500
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Birthed from the fiery crucible of Cuba, a land where baseball pulses in every heartbeat, Robert donned the proud colors of the Cuban National Series for Ciego de Ávila between 2013 and 2015. Yet, beneath his victorious laurels, a dream was kindling, a beacon of ambition urging him towards an audacious leap of faith.
In November 2016, Robert took the boldest step in his journey. He defected from Cuba, leaving behind familiar shores, and setting his sights on the gilded horizon of Major League Baseball (MLB) in the United States. This decision wasn't just a change in geography, but a passionate embrace of a dream that towered larger than life, a dream of diamonds under bright stadium lights, of roaring crowds and a legacy immortalized in the annals of American baseball.
Fast forward seven months to a day that would etch itself in gold in Robert's timeline. In May of 2017, Robert's gamble paid off beyond anyone's wildest predictions. He inked his destiny onto the storied contract of the Chicago White Sox, a contract that carried the weighty promise of a $26 million signing bonus. His audacious dream, once a whisper in the winds of Cuba, now roared with undeniable reality, a testament to the thrilling saga of his pursuit for baseball greatness.
Julio Rodriguez – +550
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Rodriguez emerged from the warmth of the Caribbean, molded by the seaside breezes and the rich, Dominican soil. Julio Rodriguez, a name not just etched on the back of a jersey, but on the annals of baseball potential. An embodiment of raw power, his swing so mighty it could rival the gusts of Hurricane Maria.
Like the humpback whales breaching off the Samaná Bay, Julio burst onto the scene, his bat a resounding clap against the baseball, echoing throughout the stadium. A symphony of home runs, music to the ears of his legion of growing fans.
And yet, the 'Dominican Diamond' isn't simply a baseball maverick. No, Julio is akin to a deftly crafted merengue, each swing, each hit, a step in a carefully choreographed dance. A dance that often concludes with a moon-shot sailing into the stands.
Julio Rodriguez may be the underdog in this competition, but as we've learned from his journey so far, betting against him could be as foolish as trying to out-salsa a Caribbean native. With a bat in his hands and a dream in his heart, don't blink - you just might miss the next baseball soaring into orbit. The 'Home Run Derby', after all, is his kind of dance floor.
Adolis Garcia, Texas Rangers Right Fielder – +600
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Also competing, Adolis Garcia.
Mookie Betts, Los Angeles Dodgers Right Fielder, +900
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Mookie Betts - He's not just a right fielder, he's a right whirlwind, a human homer-hitting hailstorm. Mookie Betts, born Markivus Betts, emerged from Nashville, Tennessee, a city known for its heart-wrenching country ballads, and used that rhythm to make baseballs dance out of parks with his symphonic swings.
At +900 odds, Mookie is the Beethoven of baseball, conducting symphonies of sheer power in every ballpark he graces, turning outfielders into mere spectators as they watch his handcrafted solos sail over their heads. The man swings his bat as though it were a maestro's baton, drawing out high notes that echo through the grand opera houses of Fenway Park and Dodger Stadium. Each homerun a crescendo, building up the drama before a climactic grand finale.
With a glove as agile as a ballet dancer and a bat as lethal as a samurai's blade, Mookie wields these tools in a way that both intimidates and mesmerizes, a peculiar duality that makes him a favorite in the league.
But can this man, this titan of the diamond, this Mozart of Major League Baseball, outplay his chorus of competitors and take home the trophy? Only the Derby will tell. For now, we'll keep our eyes on this maestro of the mound, the "Symphony Swatter", Mookie Betts.
Randy Arozarena, Tampa Bay Rays Left Fielder, +900
(Photo Credit: Randy Arozarena, Twitter)
Also competing, Randy Arozarena.
Adley Rutschman, Baltimore Orioles Catcher, +1600
(Photo Credit: Associated Press)
Drenched in the same orange and black that would've made Edgar Allen Poe hum 'Take me out to the ball game', the Baltimore Orioles’ phenom, the pride of Sherwood, Oregon, is the Cinderella man in cleats, entering the contest as the biggest longshot at 16/1.
As if offended by the doubters in the Vegas market, Rutschman cracks the ball as if every pitch were a personal affront to his mother. In another era, this man could have been a lumberjack, gripping his bat as one would a trusty axe, but instead of toppling trees, he propels balls into the stratosphere. Every home run he hits is a fairytale, and he’s the author, with the ball whistling through the air like a whispering testament to his prowess.
With a double mission to defy odds, Rutschman is here to eliminate two droughts: No catcher and no switch-hit batter has ever won the Home Run Derby. His college career was punctuated by legendary home runs, each one a spicy meatball tossed into the heart of 'dingerville.' Now, he's poised to introduce his own flavor to the Major Leagues, baking up homers with the same fervor as a chef at an Italian feast.
Will his grand debut in the Home Run Derby etch his name into Oriole legend? In a city that yearns for baseball triumph like a famished man at a crab feast, you can bet on it. The city's trust is enshrined in the mantra, "In Adley We Trust." So, gather your snacks and strap in, folks, for when this 'phenom' takes his stance at the plate, it's not just baseballs being launched – it's aspirations, dreams, and the anticipation of a thrilling spectacle. This Derby just got Rutsch'd.
--
Related: Betting Market Buzz: Will Shohei Ohtani Break Aaron Judge's Single-Season Home Run Record?, Ronald Acuna Jr. of the Atlanta Braves: Near Even Money to Join Elite 40-40 Club, Mets Lose Again Hours After Cohen Conference: Is This the Costliest MLB Season Failure in History?
Get Real-Time Updates: Stay on top of the latest odds and line moves for NHL & NBA Playoffs with our real-time odds from Las Vegas and offshore
Special Offer: $25 of picks FREE! No Obligation - No Credit Card Required - Becoming a member is Fast and Free!
Read More: For more articles, odds, and expert picks, check out Pregame news.