Teoscar Hernandez wants to defend HR Derby title

Teoscar Hernandez wants to defend HR Derby title

While we are still over two months away from the All-Star break and, thus, the Home Run Derby, Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez still has his sights on defending his crown.

On Sunday, ahead of the Dodgers’ three-game finale against the Atlanta Braves, Hernandez revealed to ESPN’s Buster Olney that his top priority is making a second consecutive All-Star team, but he also wants to participate in the Derby for the second straight year.

“Obviously, I want to have a really, really good first half, so I can be in the All-Star Game,” he said, according to Olney. “There would be a really good chance that I would participate in the Home Run Derby.”

The reigning world champion has been one of the Dodgers’ best hitters through the first month (and change) of the 2025 season.

Hernandez is slashing .305/.323/.586 (.909 OPS; 153 OPS+) with nine doubles, nine home runs and 33 RBIs, tied with New York’s Aaron Judge for the most in MLB. He’s also been one of their hottest hitters, recording at least one hit in 18 of his last 22 games, sporting a 1.003 OPS over that span.

The 32-year-old is nearly halfway to the 19 home runs he had at the All-Star break last season. At this point last year, Hernandez had seven home runs with a .774 OPS. Hernandez had one of the best years of his career last year, finishing 20245 with an. 840 OPS, a career-high 33 home runs with 99 RBIs.

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There have only been three repeat champions (Ken Griffey Jr., Yoenis Cespedes, Pete Alonso) in the derby’s history. He bested AL MVP finalist Bobby Witt Jr. in the final round of last year’s HR Derby, and it appears that he has a relatively good chance to defend his title–barring injury–if he’s asked to participate for a second consecutive year. Could he become the fourth?

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