Toronto Blue Jays star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pulled off a historic win at the Home Run Derby on Monday in Seattle.
Guerrero hit a championship-round-record 25 home runs to beat Tampa Bay Rays star Randy Arozarena and take home the title at T-Mobile Park. His win came 16 years after his father won the Home Run Derby, making them the first father-son duo to win the event.
Asked afterward what advice his father offered him, Guerrero said through an interpreter: "No advice. Hit homers."
Asked what would happen if he and his dad competed against each other in a Derby, the younger Guerrero surmised, “If it’s by time, I’ll win. If it’s by outs, he’ll win.”
Guerrero had just six home runs when he took his timeout in the championship round, but he managed to get to 20 before his one-minute bonus. He then finished the round at 25, which set the record for the most homers in a final round and created a very high bar for Arozarena. Pete Alonso held the previous final-round record of 23 home runs, which he set two years ago.
Arozarena, with his iconic cowboy boots sitting in the dirt just behind home plate, then got off to a very slow start, missing his first five attempts before finally getting on the board. He somehow got to 21 before the round ended. Arozarena missed the extra bonus, though, which left him with just 30 seconds to try to top Guerrero. He came up just shy at 23, giving Guerrero the win.
On whether he wants to defend his title next year in Texas, Guerrero said: "If you’re asking me now, no … Maybe if you ask me next year."
Guerrero, who is in his fifth season with the Blue Jays, has 13 home runs this season. The 24-year-old is hitting .274 with 58 RBI. The Blue Jays hold a 50-41 record at the break and are seven games back of the Rays in the AL East.
Mariners' Julio Rodríguez makes history
Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodríguez shined in front of his home crowd on Monday.
Rodríguez absolutely dominated his opening-round match in front of a Seattle crowd that went wild for him. Rodríguez erupted for 32 home runs before his bonus minute. He finished with 41, immediately tossed his bat and flexed behind the plate. It marked the most home runs hit in any single round in the history of the Derby, and it was Rodríguez’s third 30-home-run round in the event. At just 22, he’s the only player in history with more than one.
"I knew he was gonna do that before," Guerrero said through an interpreter of Rodríguez's epic performance. "We talked before, and you can tell he really wanted to win. I mean, he put a lot of work on this."
New York Mets star Pete Alonso mustered only 21 home runs against Rodríguez and was knocked out easily.
Rodríguez's big night, however, ended there. He managed 20 home runs in the semifinal round, which Guerrero matched with ease. Guerrero, who had flown past L.A. Dodgers star Mookie Betts in his opening-round matchup, needed just a single homer in his bonus time to reach the championship, and with Blue Jays manager John Schneider on the mound for him, he walked it off against Rodríguez.
Of the fatigue that set in after his epic first-round showing, Rodríguez said, "It feels like your mind is there, but your body is not."
Arozarena flew past Adolis García in his opening round and then threw up 35 in his second-round matchup with Chicago White Sox center fielder Luis Robert Jr. Arozarena became just the fourth player in league history (and the second Monday) with 35 or more home runs in a single round at the Derby.
Robert reached the semifinals after easily besting Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, who shined early in the night with a switch-hitting performance with his dad on the mound.
In the semifinal, Robert hit 22 homers and failed to catch Arozarena, advancing Randy to the final round.
Vladimir Guerrero Sr. won the Derby in 2007 in San Francisco, when he was playing for the Los Angeles Angels. The elder Guerrero beat the Blue Jays' Alex Rios in his final match.