MLB’s Home Run Derby features 7 first-timers, led by favorite Cal Raleigh

Monday night, baseballs will be flying out of Truist Park in suburban Atlanta as Major League Baseball's home run derby takes center stage

It's been a strange year for the long ball to this point in the 2025 season

So let's take a look at some of the numbers and talk about who might win Monday's competition

For the first time in MLB history, five players have hit more than 30 home runs at the All-Star break

Perhaps the two best players in the game right now, Aaron Judge and Shohei Otani, they are of course on the list

And three more big-time power bats led by Cal Raleigh's 38 homers

What makes those performances even more impressive is the number of runs scored by home run is down to around 39% this year, the lowest in nearly a decade

MLB's own data points to an increase in drag on the baseballs this year

which makes it harder to hit homers. Star players like Andrew McCutcheon, with 327 homers in his career

have pointed out the different feel of the ball. He says MLB hasn't been able to explain why the drag is higher

That has not stopped Cal Raleigh from joining Barry Bonds as the only two players in history with more than 38 homers before the break

It'll be a family affair for the gold glove catcher in the Derby

His dad will pitch to him. His brother will catch. Mariners manager Dan Wilson was asked why he believes Raleigh has had an historic first half

It's because of his mental approach and the way he approaches the game in general. And it's his desire

It's his desire to win, desire to help the club in any way that he can. He's not trying to leave

He's trying to hit the ball hard. But when he does that, it's usually pretty good results, pretty successful

The guy known in Seattle as Big Dumper will try and hit the ball hard Monday night He the favorite according to FanDuel and other online sportsbooks Close behind Cal is Pirate star O Cruz and then James Wood of the Nationals

The odds get a little longer for the remaining five players, but the interesting thing about this year's competition is that seven of the eight are Derby first-timers

Only Matt Olson, who replaced his Braves teammate Ronald Acuna Jr., has been in the Derby spotlight before

He was knocked out in the first round of the 2023 event

He returns as the hometown kid, and though he may not be the betting favorite

he will be the crowd favorite in Atlanta. He'll also use the time to pick up a few tips from his fellow sluggers

Go watch them in the cage. Why do you do this? Why do you do that? And, you know, it's really the stuff kind of beforehand and in the clubhouse

in the tunnel before the game that I've appreciated the most. You want a dark horse candidate to cheer for

How about Twins outfielder Byron Buxton, who wrapped up his first half in style Saturday

going 5-for-5 and hitting for the cycle. He completed the feat with what else

A home run in the seventh inning. And, of course, he did it on Byron Buxton bobblehead day

at the ballpark. Afterwards, he hinted at more to come Monday. It keeps us going

You know, it's something that allows me to go out there and feel like I'm a kid again. So it's a big thing

Hey, Twins Territory, you rooting for this guy on Monday night? I got you. I got you

You got to love Buxton in this event. I love Cal Raleigh's story

Lefty James Wood has a puncher's chance in these short dimensions at Truist Park

But my dark horse to win this one is outfielder Brent Rooker of the Athletics

Since 2023, he's hit the ninth most homers in the league. Enjoy the show, everybody

For Straight Arrow News, I'm Chris Francis