There will be a hometown player in the Home Run Derby at Cleveland's Progressive Field next month. According to ESPN's Enrique Rojas, Indians first baseman Carlos Santana has accepted an invitation to participate in the Home Run Derby. Cleveland.com's Hayden Grove adds the switch-hitting Santana said he will hit from the left side.
Indians 1B/DH Carlos Santana will participate and represent Cleveland in the 2019 Home Run Derby in Cleveland. He was asked today and accepted the invitation. Said he’ll hit from the left side and that he’s a bit nervous, but more so excited. #Indians
— Hayden Grove (@H_Grove) June 25, 2019
There has been at least one player from the host team in the Home Run Derby each year since 2013. Todd Frazier won the 2015 Home Run Derby in Cincinnati while with the Reds and Bryce Harper won last year's Home Run Derby in Washington, when he was still with the Nationals.
Santana, 33, is hitting .291/.413/.538 with 17 home runs this season, his first season back in Cleveland following a one-year stint with the Phillies. He has never been an All-Star, believe it or not, though Santana is among the finalists for the American League's starting first base spot. The final round of voting begins Wednesday.
Santana is the second player to have reportedly accepted a Home Run Derby invitation, joining Blue Jays wunderkind Vladimir Guerrero Jr.. The other six Home Run Derby spots remain TBA. The Home Run Derby will take place Monday, July 8 with the All-Star Game following the next night.
