New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso took to Instagram on Monday to confirm that he'll participate in the upcoming MLB Home Run Derby at Dodger Stadium. Alonso will be vying for his third straight Derby title.
"You guys wanted it. It's full send for round 3," Alonso wrote on Instagram. Here's his announcement:
Alonso won the Derby in 2019 at Progressive Field in Cleveland and then again last year in 2021 at Coors Field in Denver. No All-Star events were held in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. In L.A., Alonso will be trying to join Ken Griffey Jr. as the only players win the Home Run Derby three times. No player has even won three in a row. Alonso, Griffey Jr., and Yoenis Céspedes are the only sluggers to win consecutive Derbies.
This season, the 27-year-old Alonso with the first-place Mets is batting .273/.348/.533 with 23 home runs in 85 games. He was picked as an All-Star on Sunday night. As a rookie in 2019, Alonso led the majors with 53 homers, so his power is beyond reproach. For his career in Dodger Stadium, Alonso has homered seven times in 12 games.
At this juncture, none of the other eight 2022 Derby participants is known, but Giancarlo Stanton of the Yankees recently suggested he might participate.
