Time to put on a Sho.
Shohei Ohtani, an All-Star both at the plate and on the mound, is set to step into the national spotlight for those yet to see him bash high-towering home runs on a nightly basis out West.
The Los Angeles Angels star is the headliner in the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby, but there are plenty of compelling storylines surrounding other players in the competition.
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Here’s everything you need to know.
What channel is the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby on?
The 2021 MLB Home Run Derby is scheduled for Monday, July 12 at 8 p.m. ET. It will air on ESPN.
Where is the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby?
MLB
The 2021 derby will be held in a home run hitting haven: Coors Field in Colorado. There has been an average of 1.227 home runs per game at Coors Field this season, the seventh highest of all MLB stadiums.
The dimensions at Coors Field are 347 feet to left field, 390 feet to left-center, 415 feet to center, 375 feet to right-center and 350 feet to right.
Who is competing in the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby?
Ohtani, the AL MVP frontrunner with 33 home runs this season, is the main draw and the derby favorite.
He is joined by hometown hero Trevor Story of the Colorado Rockies, who has 11 home runs; the defending champion (from 2019 since the derby was canceled in 2020 due to the pandemic) Pete Alonso of the New York Mets, who has 17 home runs; and the comeback player of the year favorite Trey Mancini of the Baltimore Orioles, who has 16 home runs after missing last season while recovering from colon cancer.
Also competing are Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals (11 home runs), who at 22 years old is seeking to become the youngest derby winner; Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals (21 home runs), who at 31 years old is looking to be the first catcher to win the derby; and American League sluggers Joey Gallo of the Texas Rangers (24 home runs) and Matt Olson of the Oakland A’s (24 home runs).
Who will win the 2021 MLB Home Run Derby?
Ohtani may seem like the easy pick, but his path to the derby crown won’t be an easy one.
Even as the top seed, he has drawn what seems to be the tougher side of the bracket. He’ll face Juan Soto in the first round and, should he advance, take on the winner of Pete Alonso and Salvador Perez. Plus, the No. 1 seed hasn’t had great success in the last three derbies.
But even under the pressure of the recent “Ohtani Watch” as he launched homers at a record pace, Ohtani continued to deliver, hitting 16 homers over the 23 games prior to the All-Star break. His average exit velocity of 93.7 mph this season is fifth best in the league and highest of all those in the derby, per baseballsavant.com. Ohtani has also launched 17 no-doubt home runs, which is one more than Joey Gallo.
Expect a power display between those two in the final, with Ohtani living up to the hype in his first derby to take the title.
Who are the previous Home Run Derby winners?
2019 -- Pete Alonso, New York Mets
2018 -- Bryce Harper, Washington Nationals
2017 -- Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
2016 -- Giancarlo Stanton, Miami Marlins
2015 -- Todd Frazier, Cincinnati Reds
2014 -- Yoenis Céspedes, Oakland Athletics
2013 -- Yoenis Céspedes, Oakland Athletics
2012 -- Prince Fielder, Detroit Tigers
2011 -- Robinson Canó, New York Yankees
2010 -- David Ortiz, Boston Red Sox
2009 -- Prince Fielder, Milwaukee Brewers
2008 -- Justin Morneau, Minnesota Twins
2007 -- Vladimir Guerrero, Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
2006 -- Ryan Howard, Philadelphia Phillies
2005 -- Bobby Abreu, Philadelphia Phillies
2004 -- Miguel Tejada, Baltimore Orioles
2003 -- Garret Anderson, Anaheim Angels
2002 -- Jason Giambi, New York Yankees
2001 -- Luis Gonzalez, Arizona Diamondbacks
2000 -- Sammy Sosa, Chicago Cubs
1999 -- Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle Mariners
1998 -- Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle Mariners
1997 -- Tino Martinez, New York Yankees
1996 -- Barry Bonds, San Francisco Giants
1995 -- Frank Thomas, Chicago White Sox
1994 -- Ken Griffey Jr., Seattle Mariners
1993 -- Juan González, Texas Rangers
1992 -- Mark McGwire, Oakland Athletics
1991 -- Cal Ripken Jr., Baltimore Orioles
1990 -- Ryne Sandberg, Chicago Cubs
1989 -- Eric Davis, Cincinnati Reds, and Rubén Sierra, Texas Rangers
1988 -- Canceled, rain
1987 -- Andre Dawson, Chicago Cubs
1986 -- Wally Joyner, California Angels, and Darryl Strawberry, New York Mets
1985 -- Dave Parker, Cincinnati Reds