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Washington’s Bryce Harper to take hacks in hometown Home Run Derby

Posted at 12:18 AM, Jul 12, 2018
and last updated 2018-07-12 00:18:39-04

Bryce Harper connects on a first inning broken bat home run. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

WASHINGTON – The sluggers are set.

Wednesday, Major League Baseball announced the eight participants for Monday’s 2018 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Nationals Park – taking place on the eve of the 89th All-Star Game.

Left side of bracket
1. Jesus Aguilar, Brewers vs. 8. Rhys Hoskins, Phillies
4. Alex Bregman, Astros vs. 5. Kyle Schwarber, Cubs

Right side of bracket
2. Bryce Harper, Nationals vs. 7 Freddie Freeman, Braves
3. Max Muncy, Dodgers vs. 6. Javier Baez, Cubs

Hometown favorite Harper, who will start for the National League in Tuesday’s All-Star Game, is the only participant not making his first ever appearance in the Home Run Derby. Schwarber, Hoskins and Muncy are competing despite not being selected to the National League All-Star roster.

Bracket Format:
• Single-elimination tournament in which loser of each bracket is eliminated.

Timing:
• Four minutes per batter, per round. Timer starts with release of the first pitch.
• A round ends when the timer strikes zero. A home run shall count provided the pitch was released before the timer strikes zero.
• A pitcher cannot throw a pitch until a batted ball has hit the ground, was caught or left the field of play in foul territory.

Bonus Time:
• Thirty seconds of bonus time awarded for two home runs that each equal or exceed 440 feet.
• Distances will be tracked and posted using MLB Advanced Media’s Statcast™ powered by AWS.
• Any bonus time awarded will be added at the end of the initial four-minute round, and the timer will not stop during the bonus time period.

Scoring/Advancement:
• Batter with most home runs hit in each matchup will advance to next round.
• Ties in any round will be broken by a 60-second swing-off with no stoppage of time or additional time added; if a tie remains after the swing-off, batters will engage in successive three-swing swing-offs until there is a winner.
• If the second batter hits more than the first batter in any matchup, he will be declared winner and not attempt to hit additional home runs.
• Each batter entitled to one 45-second “time out” in the first round and semi-finals. Each batter entitled to two “time outs” in the final round – a 45-second time out first, and then a 30-second time out.