Vladimir Guerrero Jr. emerged as the victor in the thrilling 2023 MLB Home Run Derby, narrowly defeating Randy Arozarena on Monday night. This victory marked Guerrero’s first-ever win in the Home Run Derby. Guerrero showcased his power as he took the plate right after winning his semifinal matchup. This strategic move allowed Arozarena to rest up before his turn at the plate.
Guerrero, the prominent player of the Toronto Blue Jays, smashed 20 home runs in the initial round before receiving a 60-second bonus. He sealed the final round with an impressive total of 25 home runs. Arozarena, on the other hand, started slowly, hitting his first home run only after 20 seconds. With 1:01 remaining and nine home runs hit, he called a timeout. However, he failed to hit a homer that traveled over 440 feet to earn the bonus time. Nevertheless, he managed to narrow the gap to four home runs before the 30-second bonus time commenced. Arozarena’s valiant effort resulted in 23 home runs, but it wasn’t enough to surpass Guerrero.
In a historic moment, Guerrero became the first player in his family to win the Home Run Derby, following in the footsteps of his father, Vladimir Guerrero, who won the event back in 2007. Furthermore, Guerrero and his father are the first father-son duo to claim victory in the derby.
Notably, San Diego Padres star Juan Soto, the reigning champion, did not participate in this year’s competition. Instead, Arozarena had to face off against Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. in the semifinals, defeating him with a score of 35-25.
Guerrero’s path to the final included a hard-fought battle against the Seattle Mariners’ rising star, Julio Rodriguez, last year’s runner-up. He narrowly overcame Rodriguez, securing a 21-20 victory. In 2019, Guerrero came close to winning but was ultimately defeated by New York Mets star Pete Alonso in the finals.
With the Home Run Derby now behind them, these incredible power hitters will shift their focus to the highly anticipated MLB All-Star Game. The game is scheduled to air on FOX on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. ET. The American League will be led by New York Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole, while the National League will rely on Arizona Diamondbacks’ pitcher Zac Gallen to start the game.
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Image Credits:
1. Vladimir Guerrero Jr.: Source – AP Newsroom, Image – https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/07/Vladimir-Guerrero-Jr.jpg
2. Randy Arozarena: Source – AP Newsroom, Image – https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/07/Randy-Arozarena.jpg
3. Julio Rodriguez: Source – AP Newsroom, Image – https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2023/07/Julio-Rodriguez.jpg
By Ryan Gaydos, Senior Editor for Fox News Digital.
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