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With a little less than two months of regular-season baseball left to play, the postseason picture is slowly starting to take shape.

While certain teams look like they’re getting closer to punting on the season — such as the Angels, who dropped six spots in our standings this week — others are making a push that, if sustained, could catapult them into playoff contention — like the Mariners and Cubs.

With that said, a lot can change over the course of a couple months — or even week-to-week. Who are the biggest movers, whether rising or falling, in Week 19 of our power rankings?

Our expert panel has combined to rank every team in baseball based on a combination of what we’ve seen so far and what we already knew going into the 162-game marathon that is a full baseball season. We also asked ESPN MLB experts David Schoenfield, Bradford Doolittle, Jesse Rogers and Alden Gonzalez to weigh in with an observation for all 30 teams.

Week 18 | Second-half preview | Preseason rankings

Record: 72-40

Previous ranking: 1

The Matt Olson RBI machine continues. His bases-loaded walk Tuesday gave him an RBI for the 11th consecutive game, setting a franchise record. (The MLB record is 17, held by Ray Grimes of the 1922 Cubs). The walk also gave Olson his 100th RBI — in just 111 games, putting him on pace for 146. The last players to reach 140 RBIs were Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard in 2009, when both knocked in 141. Olson is still likely behind teammate Ronald Acuna Jr. and the Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman in the MVP discussion, but a 50-homer, 140-RBI season is going to get some strong support. — Schoenfield


Record: 70-44

Previous ranking: 2

The Orioles just keep building momentum. Their first playoff berth since 2016 is increasingly looking like a sure thing, and they’re on trajectory to win the franchise’s first American League East crown since 2014. And if they can hold onto the No. 1 AL seed, they’d enter the playoffs as a prime candidate to break a 40-year pennant drought. That was last accomplished by the World Series champion 1983 Orioles, who were recently honored at Camden Yards. In terms of regular-season success, this edition of the O’s has a chance to eclipse that team, which won 98 games. Baltimore hasn’t had a 100-win team since the days of Earl Weaver, when it won an even 100 in 1980. The 2023 team remains roughly on pace to crack the triple-digit club for the first time since that season. — Doolittle


Record: 68-47

Previous ranking: 3

Max Scherzer‘s debut late last week was a good one after he gave up some early runs to the White Sox. He lasted six innings total, flashing signs of the electric Scherzer as he struck out nine batters, his most in a month and one off a season high. He followed that up with another solid outing against the A’s this week. Jordan Montgomery’s first start as a Ranger was also a good one as he beat the Marlins.

The two pitchers are the boost Texas needed while it rests Nathan Eovaldi, who has been great all season. Adolis Garcia had another good week at the plate, hitting .400 while driving in four to increase his season total to 89. The Rangers haven’t given up the AL West yet and they may not — they’ve pushed back every time the second-place Astros have threatened Texas’ standing atop the division. — Rogers


Record: 67-46

Previous ranking: 6

Remember May 5, when the Padres beat the Dodgers in their first meeting of 2023 — on the heels of upsetting them the prior October — and displayed a crying meme of Clayton Kershaw on their scoreboard? The Dodgers weren’t happy about that. Not one bit. Since then, they’ve beaten the Padres eight times in nine games, including three of four in San Diego this weekend. The Dodgers have now won 31 of their last 38 regular-season games against the Padres, at a time when the rivalry was seemingly brewing in the National League West. Then again — the Padres will always have the 2022 NL Division Series. — Gonzalez


Record: 69-47

Previous ranking: 5

Brutal news for the Rays this week. While it’s still uncertain whether Shane McClanahan, who was placed on the injured list last week with forearm tightness, will require surgery, manager Kevin Cash told reporters Tuesday that it’s unlikely we’ll see the ailing on the mound again this season. Thus, he’ll join Jeffrey Springs and Drew Rasmussen in the out-for-the-season Rays rotation club. That re-frames the Rays’ deadline acquisition of Aaron Civale.

Before, it looked like Civale would be the final piece of the Rays’ playoff rotation, but as the fourth hurler in that pecking order, a spot that doesn’t always see much action at playoff time. Now Civale is not only a central figure in the Rays’ postseason outlook, but Cash will need the veteran righty to keep producing as Tampa Bay tries to ensure that it’ll be in the playoff bracket at all. — Doolittle


Record: 66-49

Previous ranking: 4

In an AL universe that did not include Shohei Ohtani, Astros star Kyle Tucker would have played himself into the MVP conversation. Tucker has been surging for some time now, but his campaign reached a crescendo Tuesday when he bashed a go-ahead grand slam off Orioles closer Felix Bautista in a 7-6 win. Tucker’s sterling play is nothing new, but let’s not forget that for a while there, it looked like he might be headed for a down season. But a three week-ish dip around Memorial Day ended, and he’s been as prolific as anybody since then.

Over his last 48 games, Tucker has hit .331/.416/.618 with 162-game paces of 199 hits, 41 homers and 152 RBIs. A chunk of this spree unfolded while the Astros were floundering on offense overall with Yordan Alvarez on the IL. How much has that meant to Houston’s season? Consider Baseball Reference’s AL leaderboard for championship probability: Tucker (3.7%), Corey Seager/Chas McCormick (3.1%), Ohtani (2.4%). Tucker has lapped the field. — Doolittle


Record: 65-51

Previous ranking: 7

Yusei Kikuchi took the L in a hard-luck 1-0 Blue Jays loss to Cleveland on Tuesday, then Toronto turned the tables with a 1-0 win of its own the following night behind Kevin Gausman. The nail-biters extended what has become a prolonged run of standout run prevention for the Jays. Toronto’s 3.27 ERA since the All-Star break is the top mark in the big leagues. During that span, only the Guardians have a better rotation ERA 92.59 to 2.92 for Toronto). Gausman’s gem was the eighth time in 14 games that Toronto allowed just a single run. This, incidentally, has happened without Alek Manoah quite yet recapturing his consistency and while Hyun Jin Ryu is still rounding into form after coming off the IL. The Toronto rotation looks poised for a big finish to the season. — Doolittle


Record: 63-52

Previous ranking: 8

The standing ovations given to Trea Turner have been a nice twist. Now we’ll see if he can turn his season around. He did go 7-for-19 with four doubles and a home run in his first five games after the ovations began — although the Royals and Nationals aren’t the sternest of pitching tests. But it shouldn’t all be on Turner’s shoulders. The Phillies are just eighth in the NL in runs and they just lost Brandon Marsh for about three weeks. One thing is for sure: The Phillies won’t lose anything on defense with Johan Rojas in center field. Indeed, in the games when Marsh and Rojas both were in the lineup, it was Rojas in center with Marsh in left. — Schoenfield


Record: 62-52

Previous ranking: 19

The four-game sweep of the Angels not only was the team’s fifth straight series win — all against teams in the playoff race — but it lifted the Mariners over the Angels, Red Sox and Yankees in the wild-card race, just behind Toronto for the No. 3 seed. The dramatic blow was Cade Marlowe‘s grand slam in the ninth off Carlos Estevez in the first game of the series, turning a 3-1 deficit into a 5-3 victory. After sweeping the Angels, Logan Gilbert followed up with a masterful 12-strikeout performance in a 2-0 win over the Padres, setting a career high for strikeouts and game score. — Schoenfield


Record: 62-53

Previous ranking: 9

They’re not universally regarded as one of the best rotation duos in the sport, but perhaps Logan Webb and Alex Cobb should be. The two have combined to make 45 starts and post a 3.35 ERA in 271⅔ innings this season, acting as a steady presence for a starting rotation that has battled its fair share of uncertainty beyond them. Take Webb and Cobb out, and the Giants would have a starters’ ERA of 4.95 going into Wednesday. Webb and Cobb will have to continue carrying the load if the Giants hope to separate themselves from a crowded wild card field the rest of the way — or perhaps even win the NL West. — Gonzalez


Record: 62-54

Previous ranking: 11

Milwaukee had a wild week at the plate, scoring 26 runs in two wins but just eight total in losing two of three games to the Pirates. It’s part and parcel to the inconsistent offense Milwaukee has displayed all year. But let’s not bury the lead here. The return of Brandon Woodruff is as important as any development for this team. After missing most of the season with an arm injury, Woodruff pitched well in a loss to the Pirates on Sunday, giving up two runs on four hits over five innings while striking out nine and not issuing a walk. If the Brewers win the NL Central, it’ll be on the strength of their pitching staff, and now they have a huge weapon to unleash for the final two months of the season. — Rogers


Record: 60-56

Previous ranking: 20

Are the Twins peaking — finally? Minnesota’s 9-3 win on Monday in Detroit provided a number of high points on its schedule to date. The victory pushed the Twins to a season-best six games over .500 and gave them their biggest lead so far in the AL Central (5½ games) and their first five-game winning streak of 2023. During that streak, the Twins’ offense sprang to life as they outscored opponents 34-12. Maybe, just maybe, the Twins’ one-step-ahead, one-step-back season is finally behind them, though they did drop back-to-back games to Detroit to snap the streak. Their division rivals better take their shots while they can: Minnesota’s last intra-division game is Sept. 17, another gift from the new scheduling formula. — Doolittle


Record: 59-56

Previous ranking: 17

A weekend series win over the mighty Braves was another confidence boost for a surging Cubs team. A lot of that surge is because of center fielder Cody Bellinger, who may not be a finalist for MVP come season’s end but will get some down ballot votes. He continued his torrid second half by hitting over .500 so far in August, including a big home run in a one-run win over the Mets on Tuesday. After a weekend series against the Blue Jays, the Cubs have a light schedule until a showdown with the Brewers at the end of the month. Could Chicago be in first place by then? It’s entirely possible. — Rogers


Record: 59-55

Previous ranking: 10

If you expected more from the 2023 Red Sox and are wondering why you haven’t gotten it, a look at their payroll might tell you all you need to know. The top-paid player, pitcher Chris Sale, has produced 1.0 bWAR during another injury-ravaged season and hasn’t started at all since June 1. The second highest paid BoSox, shortstop Trevor Story, just made his season debut Tuesday because of injury problems of his own. (He’s gone 0-for-8 with six whiffs during his first two outings.) Through it all, Boston has managed to stay on the right side of .500 and a hot streak away from a wild-card slot. Now, as Story regains his regular-season sea legs, Sale is slated to return from his shoulder woes Friday. It’s been a rough going but with the Red Sox finally getting whole, better days might be just around the corner. — Doolittle


Record: 59-56

Previous ranking: 15

Coming into the season, the veteran-laden Yankees rotation looked like as good a reason as any to predict that the 2023 Bombers would snap their pennant drought. Alas, as the season reaches the dog days, that group — beyond Cy Young candidate Gerrit Cole — has become a font of disappointment and disarray. Since the beginning of July, New York ranks 28th in rotation ERA, better only than Pittsburgh and Washington. This has occurred despite Cole’s 2.70 ERA and a WHIP (0.84), bettered only by Milwaukee’s Corbin Burnes, during that span. The non-Cole Yankees starters have gone 7-11 with a 6.57 ERA and a .893 OPS allowed since the start of July. — Doolittle


Record: 60-57

Previous ranking: 12

A six-game skid dropped Cincinnati into third place in the NL Central as the Cubs took three of four last week to top the Reds in the standings. Their pitching settled down against the Marlins after getting walloped at Wrigley Field, but it’s been their normally potent offense that has struggled recently. They hit just .203 over a seven-day span ending Tuesday, fourth worst in baseball over that timeframe. Joey Votto went 4-for-21, though all four hits were home runs. Elly De La Cruz also only had four hits, compiling a .174 batting average for the week.

The young Reds could be showing some cracks, but a boost on the mound is coming. If Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo can have a strong finish, the NL Central race will be very interesting. Cincinnati needs more overall consistency to make that happen. — Rogers


Record: 55-60

Previous ranking: 18

The Padres have basically spent the entire season flirting with a .500 record before falling off, only to inevitably circle back — a constant tease from a star-studded team that should be so much better. It happened again recently. The Padres had a chance to get to .500 for the first time since May 11 on Sunday, then they lost back-to-back games to the Dodgers and Mariners to put together a four-game losing streak. The Padres’ uphill climb continues. And it will get significantly harder now that one of their best pitchers, Joe Musgrove, will be out until at least the middle of September — or perhaps for the rest of this season — because of shoulder inflammation. — Gonzalez


Record: 57-58

Previous ranking: 13

The D-backs find themselves in a free fall. On Tuesday night, they suffered their seventh consecutive loss and fell to .500 for the first time since April 7. Since the start of July, they’re 8-24, during which they’ve batted .227/.302/.366 and pitched to a 5.33 ERA, making them a bottom-three offense and pitching staff for a span of five and a half weeks. The D-backs are still very much in this, but they need to turn it around fast.

“We play with intensity and energy with a certain swagger,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo told reporters after Tuesday’s game. “I haven’t seen that in a while.” — Gonzalez


Record: 60-56

Previous ranking: 16

Eury Perez returned to the rotation Tuesday after his exile to the minors to preserve his innings and was a little rusty, allowing four runs and two home runs in 4⅔ innings, although he did strike out seven. He didn’t pitch for 20 days and then made two abbreviated appearances of 45 and 63 pitches in Double-A before his return. He’s now thrown 94⅔ innings across the majors and minors after throwing 78 innings in 2021 and 77 last year. The Marlins’ caution for the 20-year-old sensation is certainly understandable and it will be interesting to see how hard they push him down the stretch. He threw 78 pitches in his return and has topped 90 just twice in his 12 starts, so that may be close to his limit, which will keep his innings down. — Schoenfield


Record: 58-58

Previous ranking: 14

The Angels made the bold move of not only holding on to Ohtani before the trade deadline but supplementing their roster with pending free agents like Lucas Giolito, Reynaldo Lopez, C.J. Cron and Randal Grichuk. Then they proceeded to lose seven consecutive games, their playoff odds dropping from nearly 20% to less than 2% in that stretch. Oh boy. The Angels wanted to make the playoffs in what could be their final year with Ohtani, but at the very least they wanted to get to September — play meaningful games down the stretch for the first time in six years. Mike Trout could be back from his hamate fracture within the next couple of weeks, but the Angels’ season might essentially be over by then. — Gonzalez


Record: 55-60

Previous ranking: 21

Jose Ramirez’s fight with Tim Anderson — and his resulting three-game suspension (pending appeal) — didn’t exactly come at a good time, with the offense struggling. They have gone nine straight without scoring more than four runs, losing seven of those. Monday’s loss was especially tough as Gavin Williams pitched a brilliant game with 12 strikeouts and one hit allowed over seven innings, only to see the bullpen blow a 1-0 lead. His game score of 86 was the best by a Cleveland starter since Triston McKenzie tossed eight shutout innings with 11 K’s on Aug. 15, 2021. — Schoenfield


Record: 52-62

Previous ranking: 22

One excuse I’ve heard about the Mets’ sorry season was that they had so many players in the World Baseball Classic that they were never able to gel as a team in spring training. While Edwin Diaz‘s injury was obviously devastating, that rationale overlooks that the Mets actually got off to a good start at 14-7. They were still just 3.5 games back June 2 — and that’s when the season turned. They got swept at home by the Blue Jays and then got swept in Atlanta and suddenly they were 8.5 games behind the Braves. The Braves took off from there and the Mets never recovered. Don’t blame the WBC. — Schoenfield


Record: 51-63

Previous ranking: 24

Pittsburgh may be playing out the string, but Bryan Reynolds is not. Reynolds hit three home runs last week while compiling an OPS over 1.200. After a little bit of a slow start to his season, his numbers are in line with the back of his baseball card. He won’t reach his career high of 27 home runs that he set last season, but a 20-homer year isn’t out of the question. He’ll be a leader for a Pirates team that’s hoping to be in the race for longer than a couple months next year. They’ll need some better pitching, but they should have a decent offense in 2024. — Rogers


Record: 51-63

Previous ranking: 25

Miguel Cabrera‘s career began just over 20 years ago with a game-ending, two-run jack off Al Levine to win an extra-inning game for the Marlins against the cross-state rival Rays. That was his first career hit and homer, one that traveled an estimated 491 feet. It was, suffice to say, an auspicious beginning to a Hall-of-Fame career.

We don’t know how it will end but we do know that it will end in a few weeks, presumably when the Tigers finish their season at home against Cleveland. There’s no way to predict whether or not Miggy will exit the majors as loudly as he entered it, but he is showing no signs of going out with a whimper. Since Cabrera’s early season numbers hit bottom (a .512 OPS on June 5), he’s hit .319/.388/.420 over 37 games. The power is still lacking but it’s not too late for one more slugging surge for the Detroit and Miami great. — Doolittle


Record: 50-65

Previous ranking: 23

Will Adam Wainwright get to 200 wins? It’s the Cardinals’ mission for the rest of the season to get him there, but he’s not cooperating. Over his last two starts, he’s given up 11 runs in nine innings, including a three-inning stint against the Rockies over the weekend. Wainwright’s stuff simply hasn’t been that good all season but with only two wins to reach 200 and St. Louis out of the race, manager Oliver Marmol will give him every chance to reach that milestone before he retires. Offense isn’t the problem and hasn’t been all year. It’s up to Wainwright to pitch himself into rarified air. Only 118 pitchers have ever won at least 200 games in their careers. — Rogers


Record: 50-65

Previous ranking: 27

The Nationals lost 107 games last year. The Mets won 101. The Mets spent a vault full of money. The Nationals are paying Stephen Strasburg (injured) and Patrick Corbin (5.03 ERA), but not really anybody else. It’s now possible — perhaps even likely, as the Mets play out the string with a depleted roster — that the Nationals finish ahead of the Mets this season.

After last week’s somewhat surprising demotion of Luis Garcia (he had a .599 OPS since his six-hit game in late May) and less surprising release of Corey Dickerson, the Nationals will give rookies Jake Alu and Blake Rutherford a chance to play down the stretch. Rutherford was a former first-round pick of the Yankees who the Nationals signed as a minor league free agent in the offseason. He had a .978 OPS in the minors. — Schoenfield


Record: 47-69

Previous ranking: 26

A tumultuous week off the field last week gave way to three consecutive wins on it, as the White Sox took a weekend series over the Guardians and then followed that up with a win over the Yankees on Monday. None of that, however, can overshadow the overall performance of the team this year and the comments former pitcher Keynan Middleton made to ESPN on Sunday. He questioned the culture and accountability inside Chicago’s clubhouse, which forced GM Rick Hahn and manager Pedro Grifol to publicly — and clearly — admit things were bad, though they refuted Middleton’s specific statements. Chicago’s makeover is far from over. — Rogers


Record: 45-69

Previous ranking: 28

Austin Gomber pitched six scoreless innings in St. Louis on Sunday, dropping his bloated ERA from 5.68 to 5.40. It was significant in another way, given the pressure Gomber has felt to deliver as one of the centerpieces in the 2021 deal that sent Nolan Arenado to the Cardinals — a deal that looks awful in retrospect.

He said he’s finally at peace with the dynamic, telling MLB.com: “The last couple months, in talking to people and in finding myself, it’s been easier to realize I’m never going to be Nolan Arenado, right? I could come here and throw a shutout every year, and it doesn’t matter. I’m not going to be a Hall of Famer. I understand that. It’s fine. So, just kind of removing those expectations for myself.” — Gonzalez


Record: 37-79

Previous ranking: 29

Bobby Witt Jr. just had a stretch that reminds us his high ceiling still exists, going 18-for-38 over nine games (.474) with four home runs, 17 RBIs and four stolen bases. He’s now had back-to-back 20-homer, 30-steal seasons, the first player ever to do that his first two seasons, with a 30-30 season still in play for this year. He’s at 3.0 WAR now and his defensive metrics — a disaster last season — are either spectacular (Statcast has him as the best shortstop in the game) or at least merely average (defensive runs saved). He’s turning into a star — and maybe a superstar if he can improve that OBP. — Schoenfield


Record: 33-82

Previous ranking: 30

A miserable season received a rare highlight over the weekend, when the A’s inducted their 2023 class of Hall of Famers and a combined 64,934 fans showed up to watch their team take both games against the crosstown rival Giants. It marked the first time many of their young players had played in front of such a boisterous home crowd, many of whom responded positively. Alas, it only improved the A’s record to 32-80. And sadly, those fun afternoons of baseball in Oakland are quickly dwindling. — Gonzalez

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2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

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2025 MLB Home Run Derby: The field is set! Who is the slugger to beat?

The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.

Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.

On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.

With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.

Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more


2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet

Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.

Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.


2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.

Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.


2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet

Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.

Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.


2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet

Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.

Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.


2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet

Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.

Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.


2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet

Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.

Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.


2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet

Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.

Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.


2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet

Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.

Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.

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Reds’ Fraley to play through partially torn labrum

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Reds' Fraley to play through partially torn labrum

CINCINNATI — Cincinnati Reds right fielder Jake Fraley was activated from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.

He had injured his right shoulder while trying to make a diving catch June 23 against the New York Yankees.

An MRI revealed a partially torn labrum that will eventually require surgery. Fraley received a cortisone shot and will try to play through it for the rest of the season.

The Reds were 7-4 in his absence.

Christian Encarnacion-Strand, who hasn’t played since Noelvi Marte returned from the IL on July 4, was optioned to Triple-A Louisville.

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Royals P Lorenzen (illness) scratched from start

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Royals P Lorenzen (illness) scratched from start

Kansas City Royals right-hander Michael Lorenzen was scratched from Saturday’s start due to an illness.

Left-hander Angel Zerpa replaced Lorenzen for the game against the visiting New York Mets.

Lorenzen, 33, is 5-8 with a 4.61 ERA through 18 starts this season.

Zerpa, 25, is 3-1 with a 3.89 ERA in 40 appearances out of the bullpen this season. His last start was in August 2023.

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