SEATTLE – For the second year in a row, Julio Rodríguez knocked Pete Alonso out of Major League Baseball’s Home Run Derby. Rodríguez, the hometown favorite, had T-Mobile Park buzzing after belting 41 homers in the first round, which was the most ever in a single round.
JULIO RODRIGUEZ PUT ON A SHOW 🤩
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2023
41 home runs in the first round 🚀 pic.twitter.com/JrI4Ajag0p
Alonso, a two-time derby champ, had an uphill battle facing off against Seattle’s own. He hit 21 home runs, with his longest being 457 feet.
Mike Friedlein, one of Alonso’s former travel ball coaches, was set to pitch to Alonso in the derby, but woke up Monday morning with a forearm issue and couldn’t pitch. Alonso used the Met’s assistant coach and batting practice thrower, Aaron Myers, in place of Friedlein. With no prior derby simulations between Myers and Alonso, the duo seemed out of sync for most of the round.
The Seattle crowd letting Pete Alonso hear it 😅 pic.twitter.com/zjq7DDUcFn
— ESPN (@espn) July 11, 2023
Alonso will represent the Mets in Tuesday night’s MLB All-Star Game as a reserve infielder.