Adolis ready to represent hometown Rangers in second Derby
ARLINGTON -- Everything is bigger in Texas, especially the home runs.
Rangers outfielder Adolis García has mashed his fair number of home runs over his five seasons with the club, including a walk-off in Game 1 of the 2023 World Series. He hopes to be bigger than the rest of his opponents at this year’s T-Mobile Home Run Derby, set to take place at Globe Life Field on ESPN at 7 p.m. CT on Monday.
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On Wednesday, García announced he would be participating in his second career Derby.
García joins a loaded field featuring Gunnar Henderson, Pete Alonso, Alec Bohm, Bobby Witt Jr., Marcell Ozuna and José Ramírez.
This is the fourth straight year that Texas has had a Derby participant -- Joey Gallo in 2021, Corey Seager in ‘22 and García himself last year. He is looking to become just the third Ranger to win the event after Ruben Sierra in 1989 and Juan Gonzalez in '93.
Rangers third-base coach Tony Beasley threw to García last year, when he was eliminated in the first round by his best friend Randy Arozarena.
García was not named an All-Star this season after going through a month-long slump at the plate, but he still ranks among the Rangers’ leaders in extra-base hits (32, 1st), home runs (17, T-1 with Seager), runs (47, 2nd) and RBIs (45, T-2 with Seager).
This year’s Derby will be played under a new format. Unlike in previous years, the one-on-one knockout style duel will not begin until the semifinals. The first round will allow for all eight hitters to swing for three minutes each (or 40 pitches, whichever comes first) before a bonus round that will go until three outs, with every pitch being either a home run or an out. The top four hitters will advance to the next round, at which point it will be a one-on-one competition.
In the semifinal round, contestants will be seeded by the number of home runs they hit in the first round. The No. 1 seed will face No. 4, while No. 2 will face No. 3, with the same rules applying to this round.
The winners will advance to a two-minute final round with a maximum of 27 pitches. The same bonus rules will apply, and hitters will also get one timeout in each round.