The “Big Dumper” can now add Home Run Derby champion to his unreal 2025 season.
Seattle Mariners slugger Cal Raleigh held off Junior Caminero 18-15 in the final round to win the 2025 Home Run Derby at Truist Park. Caminero needed five homers in the bonus round to force a swing-off but came up short.
Raleigh is the first primary catcher to ever win the event. Hall of Famer Iván Rodríguez had the previous best finish for a catcher, when he was the runner-up in 2005.
“It means the world,” Raleigh said. “I could hit zero home runs and had just as much fun. I can’t believe we won. That was unbelievable.”
Raleigh joins three-time champion Ken Griffey Jr. as the only Mariners players to win the event. Seattle’s four Home Run Derby championships are now tied with the New York Yankees for the most among teams.
The switch-hitting Raleigh also joins Rubén Sierra in 1989 as the only switch-hitters to win a derby crown. Sierra shared his title with Eric Davis, making Raleigh the lone switch-hitter to win one outright. Raleigh showed off his unique skills, hitting homers from both sides during the first round before shifting to the left side for the semis and final.
With his father Todd pitching and brother Todd Jr. catching, Raleigh was in the zone all night, crushing 54 total homers en route to the title. His longest was a 471-foot blast in the first round.
The 28-year-old entered the break with an MLB-best 38 home runs, a mark that’s also a pre-break record for primary catchers. Raleigh was voted as the AL’s starting catcher for Tuesday’s Midsummer Classic.
Relive the HR Derby 👇
Junior Caminero came to bat, and some kid stole the show. Caminero had one of his homers robbed in spectacular fashion, although MLB rightfully counted it – because who expects a home run robbery at the derby?!
Raleigh came to play. The majors’ home-run leader crushed 18 in his final round. Junior Caminero’s going to have his work cut out.
So, it’ll be Raleigh vs. Junior Caminero in the final. Get your popcorn ready.
Raleigh set a near-impossible bar for Cruz, crushing 19 homers in his semifinal round. Cruz hit some bombs, with a 498-foot blast in the bonus round standing out. He just ran out of time.
Buxton had a fine semifinal showing, but he was no match for Caminero, who crushed the eight homers he needed in just one minute. Caminero advances to the final, where he awaits the winner of Cruz vs. Raleigh.
Raleigh advancing by decimal points isn’t sitting well with some. Rooker certainly wasn’t pleased with being eliminated in such a manner.
Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino wanted to see “Big Dumper” go toe-to-toe against Rooker for the semifinal spot.
The final four is set. Oneil Cruz, Junior Caminero, Byron Buxton, and (by literal inches) Raleigh are off to the semifinals, where they’ll be seeded bracket-style.
Hometown hero Matt Olson made a late charge with a fantastic first round. Unfortunately, he came up just short, hitting 15 to miss out on advancing.
The majors’ home-run leader came to play. With his father pitching, Raleigh crushed from both sides of the plate and finished with 17 homers to tie Rooker for the No. 4 seed. Raleigh eliminated Rooker on a distance tiebreaker by less than an inch.
Things just didn’t go smoothly for Jazz. Chisholm hit just three homers before being eliminated.
Here comes Buxton. The Twins outfielder caught his breath, then eliminated Wood with some gigantic bonus round homers. He’s now sitting in third place.
The Cruz Missile has arrived. Pirates outfielder Oneil Cruz electrified Truist Park with a ridiculous round that included a 513-foot home run. Yes, you read that right.
Cruz tied Caminero atop the leaderboard, and now owns the distance tiebreaker.
And now it’s Caminero’s turn. The Rays All-Star has taken the lead, hitting 18 before his bonus round – with nine of those going at least 450 feet. Caminero ended up with 21 after his bonus round.
Rooker found a groove quickly and ended up with 17, including a 471-foot blast.
Wood’s first derby round was a smashing success. The Nationals phenom crushed a 486-foot homer, and sent another one over the Chop House and out of Truist Park.
Jazz the ‘Demon Slayer’
Chisholm is breaking out a pretty sick bat for tonight’s contest.
Big Dumper has arrived 🍑
And Pat McAfee’s pretty hyped for him.
Wood has big plans if he wins $1M tonight
The HR Derby order is set
Jazz is betting on himself
Friendly advice from Fried 😂
Yankees pitcher Max Fried won a Silver Slugger in Atlanta back when pitchers still batted, so he offered some hints to teammate Jazz Chisholm Jr. about hitting at Truist Park.
The 2025 MLB All-Star festivities continue Monday with the Home Run Derby at Truist Park. A loaded field of eight sluggers will take part in what should be an exciting contest. Before the event gets going, here’s a look at the competitors and a primer on the rules.
The format
The derby will once again use the hybrid three-round format that was introduced last year, albeit with some minor tweaks.
In Round 1, each player has three minutes or 40 pitches – whichever comes first – to hit as many homers as possible. Competitors also get a bonus period within the first round that will allow them as many swings as possible until recording three outs (an out is any swing that doesn’t result in a homer). A home run of 425 feet or more within the bonus period will give players a bonus fourth out. The top four players advance to the semifinals, with first-round ties being broken by longest home run.
The final four will then square off in a knockout bracket, seeded No. 1 through No. 4 by their first-round totals. In the semifinals and finals, players will only have two minutes or 27 pitches to again hit as many homers as they can. Any ties in the semis and finals will be broken through a “swing-off.”
In each round, each contestant gets one 45-second timeout, but it can’t be used during the bonus period or tiebreaker.
Tonight’s winner will receive a $1-million prize, along with some brand-new swag: this Home Run Derby winner’s chain.
You can view the original article HERE.
