Byron Buxton, a Georgia native and center fielder for the Minnesota Twins, was named the fourth player to compete in Monday’s Home Run Derby.
The derby will be held at Atlanta’s Truist Park on Monday of next week, the evening before the All-Star Game. Buxton, 31, will be the eighth Twins batter to participate in the derby, which was won by Justin Morneau in 2008.
Buxton enters the four-man race alongside Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, Nationals outfielder James Wood, and Braves outfielder Ronald Acua Jr. Buxton, a native of Baxley, Georgia, was selected by the Twins with the second overall choice in the 2012 draft and has hit 20 home runs this season. Speaking to reporters on Sunday about his second All-Star nomination, Buxton smiled as he talked about how his 11-year-old son Brix, who frequently plays the Home Run Derby on the MLB: The Show video game at home, gets excited.
He always says, “I want to bring you a towel if you do this, Dad!” and I say, That’s okay. That is his only concern. In order to get me a towel and a Gatorade, he wants Dad to do it. And that’s special to me,” Buxton remarked. “That’s what he wants and cares about out of everyone there, including the people he will see. Therefore, the little things add up to the big ones.
Along with Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and Philadelphia designated hitter Kyle Schwarber, Pete Alonso, a slugger for the New York Mets and a two-time winner, also chose not to participate. Over the course of Sunday and Monday, those athletes gave reporters confirmation of their choices.
After hitting 20 home runs in a season, Alonso was chosen as a National League reserve for the All-Star Game. In 2019 and 2021, he took home the Home Run Derby trophy. In 2020, it was canceled due of the COVID-19 epidemic.
This year, I’m not necessarily called to do it. I adore the occasion. It’s a sick incident. According to MLB.com, Alonso stated on Sunday, “I just didn’t feel motivated to do it this year.” I simply thought I would take a rest, recuperate, and then resume my efforts to assist the team win in the second half.
Schwarber hinted that he might play in the All-Star Game in Philadelphia the following season, even though he won’t be doing so this summer. Schwarber made his third All-Star team and has hit 27 home runs this season.
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Link: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb AP MLB
