The MLB All-Star break and all the festivities that go along with it are coming up. The Home Run Derby is always an exciting event, and Philadelphia Phillies fans have a reason to tune in this year if they weren’t going to already.
Alec Bohm’s amazing reason for joining Home Run Derby is totally relatable
Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm is having a tremendous season heading into the Midsummer Classic. Not only will the first-time All-Star be the starting third baseman for the National League, but he will also participate in the Home Run Derby.
We'll see you at the Bohm Run Derby 💪 pic.twitter.com/Z0tOZxiOW5
— Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 5, 2024
Every player has their own reasons as to why they decide to or decline to participate in the Home Run Derby. Bohm’s reasoning to participate in the 2024 derby is as real as it gets, according to MLB.com's Todd Zolecki.
“Every year, I feel like as a kid growing up, that’s kind of the cool thing to watch,” Bohm said ahead of the series opener in Atlanta, per Zolecki. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get another chance to do it again.”
The 27-year-old is not the prototypical home run hitter. He likes to use the entire field and drive the ball into the gaps for extra-base hits. He’s not up there trying to hit home runs, but he does have the power to do so.
Bohm is among the best in Major League Baseball in doubles and RBI this season. This has been a consistent trend since the beginning of the year.
There’s always the risk of messing up a hitter’s swing after participating in the Home Run Derby, which often steers players and their managers away from the thought of it altogether. Some players will get off to amazing starts similar to Bohm this year, participate in the Home Run Derby and then find themselves in a slump to start the second half of the season. However, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Corey Seidman, this doesn’t seem to concern either Bohm or Rob Thomson.
Bohm joins Baltimore Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson as the first two participants to compete in the 2024 Home Run Derby. Bohm will look to be the first Phillies player to win the Home Run Derby since former first baseman Ryan Howard did it in 2006.
The Home Run Derby will take place on July 15 at 8:00 p.m. ET in Arlington, Texas.