Chicago White Sox Star Luis Robert Jr. Joins the Home Run Derby Field
Chicago White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has been confirmed as the seventh contestant in the home run derby during All-Star week in Seattle.
Robert Jr. joins Julio Rodriguez (Mariners), Pete Alonso (Mets), Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays), Adley Rutschman (Orioles), Randy Arozarena (Rays) and Mookie Betts (Dodgers) in the field of talented sluggers.
This will be the first appearance in the derby for Robert Jr., who was also named to his first All-Star Game.
It's been a banner year from a power perspective for the Sox slugger, who is hitting .276 with 25 homers and 49 RBI. He's also stolen bases.
He made his major league debut in 2020 and is a lifetime .286 hitter with 61 homers.
The home run derby field continues to be one of the more fascinating fields in the history of the event. Six of the seven participants are purely right-handed, with Rutschman being a switch-hitter who has said he may take some right-handed swings.
Typically, lefties have fared very well in the home run derby and a lefty (Luis Gonzalez) won it the last time the event was in Seattle (2001).
Also, there are five confirmed participants from the American League. The league usually tries to split it more evenly, so we'll see who the last participant to be named is.
The home run derby will take place on July 10.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS DURING ALL-STAR WEEK in Seattle, per MLB.com:
Friday, July 7: HBCU Swingman Classic (7:30 p.m. ET)
Saturday, July 8: All-Star Celebrity Softball Game and MLB Futures Game (Futures Game 4 p.m., softball game after)
Sunday, July 9: MLB Draft, Rounds 1-2 (7 p.m. ET)
Monday, July 10: Home Run Derby (8 p.m. ET)
Tuesday, July 11: All-Star Game (8 p.m. ET)
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