St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker won the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby on Monday night in Philadelphia, defeating hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber of the Phillies in the final round at Citizens Bank Park.
Walker, 24, hit six home runs in the second round to eliminate Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero with seven swings remaining. He advanced from the first round with 13 homers, tied with Boston's Willson Contreras. Schwarber reached the final by outlasting teammate Bryce Harper, who hit eight homers in the first round and failed to advance.
Harper, a two-time Derby champion, had said earlier Monday this would be his final Derby. He was introduced alongside Schwarber by ring announcer Michael Buffer, drawing roaring ovations from the sellout crowd.
The Derby returned to a swing-based format this year, abandoning the timed clock. Each hitter received 20 swings in the first round and 15 in the second, with extra swings awarded if the final swing was a home run. The event was broadcast on Netflix for the first time as part of a three-game package.
Schwarber's longest homer was a 490-foot blast in the first round, the longest of the night. The longest Derby homer since 2016 remains Juan Soto's 520-foot shot at Coors Field in 2021.
Originally reported by WPTZ NBC5.
Photo: Bruce C. Cooper (Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 3.0). Photo is illustrative and not from the scene.
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