The Home Run Derby field is set, and it's got a serious Philly flavor to it. Kyle Schwarber is officially in, teaming up with Bryce Harper to give the Phillies two entries in the same night of pure launch-angle chaos.
Kyle Schwarber joins Bryce Harper in the Home Run Derby. That’s a Grand Slam for MLB!
Calling it a "Grand Slam for MLB" is about right. This isn't just two sluggers in a derby, it's two Phillies sluggers in a derby being played at Citizens Bank Park, their own building, in front of their own fans. That's about as good as it gets for a league trying to sell a Monday night home run contest.
There's history here too. Schwarber and Harper have actually met on this exact stage before, back in 2018, when Schwarber made a run to the final before losing to Harper. Now they're teammates instead of rivals, both swinging for the same crowd instead of against each other.
MLB Trade Rumors laid out the full field once it was locked in.
The rest of the bracket rounds out with Junior Caminero, Jac Caglianone, Ben Rice, Willson Contreras and Jordan Walker, giving the derby a mix of established sluggers and up-and-comers alongside the two Phillies headliners. The format this year ditches the clock in favor of a fixed 20 swings per hitter in the opening round, with the top 4 totals advancing to the semifinals.
For bettors and fantasy managers, Schwarber's addition changes the math on the whole board. He's one of the most prolific left-handed pull-power hitters in the sport, and pairing him with Harper as co-favorites in front of a building that will be chanting for both of them is exactly the kind of matchup MLB wants headlining All-Star week.