The 2024 Home Run Derby came down to the final swing and was inches away from entering a tiebreaker in the final round.

Despite much of the talk being about the stars who didn’t participate in the Home Run Derby, the 2024 contest was one of the best in recent memory.

The night didn’t shape up how anyone could have guessed with the Derby’s favorites bowing out in round one.

Undisputed favorite and two-time champion Pete Alonso had just 12 home runs in the first round and did not advance. For Alonso, the 12 bombs were the fewest in any Home Run Derby round in his career.

Rangers star Adolis Garica put up a solid 18 home runs in the first round but it would end up being just one shy of advancing to the semi-finals.

Gunner Henderson had the most home runs out of anyone in the field entering the night but he would smash just 11 and would also be eliminated.

As for the sluggers that did advance to the semi-finals, it was the four hitters who had the longest Vegas odds entering the Derby.

Alec Bohm proved just about the entire country wrong by slugging 21 bombs in the first round, tied for the lead of all competitors. The Phillies star would be joined by José Ramírez, Bobby Witt Jr, and Teoscar Hernandez.

When the semi-finals returned to bracket-style play, hometown kid Bobby Witt Jr would cruise past José Ramírez to earn his spot in the final.

On the other side of the bracket, we had an instant classic matchup with Alec Bohm and Teoscar Hernandez entering a swingoff after each hitting 14 home runs during the regular round.

In the swing off Hernandez blasted two home runs in three swings to put pressure on Bohm that he could not overcome.

Upon advancing to the final, Bobby Witt Jr and Teoscar Hernadez gave baseball fans one of the best home run derby finals we have ever seen.

Hernandez went first and belted 14 home runs including two moonshots in overtime.

Needing 15 to win the derby, Bobby Witt Jr looked down and out early in the round before catching fire towards the end and making things interesting in bonus time.

On his final swing, needing one to send the final to a swing off, Bobby Witt Jr. blasted a 406 ft shoot that was inches shy of going over the fence in one of the deepest parts of Globe Life Field.

Teoscar Hernandez won the Home Run Derby by a matter of inches, becoming just the seventh Dominican to win the Derby.
No matter if the big stars were there or not, the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby was an instant classic that baseball fans will remember for a long time.