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A thrilling 2026 Home Run Derby is in the books.
On Monday, St.
Louis Cardinals right fielder Jordan Walker made history as the first Cardinals player to win the derby with an incredible display over the hometown Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.
Below are our takeaways from the start of MLB's All-Star week.
"Honestly, I still don't know," Walker said afterward to reporter Lauren Shehadi when asked how he overcame a raucous Philadelphia environment to pull off a stunning walk-off win.
It took an incredible comeback effort after Schwarber blasted 11 home runs in 15 swings in the finals, but Walker was up for the challenge, responding with homers in his final six swings to quiet the pro-Phillies crowd.
Kyle Schwarber has been sending the Philly crowd into a frenzy all night! pic.twitter.com/QQQ95GaKEL MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2026 Down 3 homers in the @TMobile #HRDerby Finals MLB (@MLB) July 14, 2026 Down to his final swing Jordan Walker was UNFAZED pic.twitter.com/hWdbNgxOar Overall, Walker hit 31 home runs in 47 swings through the three rounds.
Jordan Walker in the HR derby: StatMuse (@statmuse) July 14, 2026 47 swings 31 home runs Homered on each of his last 6 swings to win the derby.
pic.twitter.com/mgwqxNlzXK For someone with 27 career home runs entering 2026, Walker, who has 22 at the All-Star break, is already one of this season's breakout stars.
His outstanding derby performance adds to a remarkable season, firmly establishing the 24-year-old as a player to watch.
Per Stathead, right-handers were only responsible for 43.8 percent of all home runs hit at Citizens Bank Park during the first half of the 2026 regular season.
Over the last three seasons, the park has been the most home-run friendly to lefties.
But those fortunes were flipped on Monday.
The three right-handed participants finished 1-2-3 in the first round, Walker and Boston Red Sox first baseman Willson Contreras tying for the most home runs (13) while Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays finished the round with 12, leaving room for only one of the five left-handed hitters to reach the semifinals.
The atmosphere in Philadelphia was fantastic, particularly once it became clear that Schwarber advanced to the final four.
During the head-to-head semifinals and finals, fans booed each time Schwarber's competition left the yard and cheered vociferously with every out.
"Can't say enough about how they got behind me," Schwarber told CC Sabathia on the field afterward, expressing his appreciation for the crowd.
It wasn't enough to carry him to a victory, but it made the event much more memorable.
MLB has spent years tinkering with the derby format, trying to find one that works.
Hopefully, this one sticks.
Organizers ditched the timer used in previous years, instead giving batters a set number of swings 20 in the first round, 15 in the semis and finals.
It was an undoubted success, leading to a far superior on-field product.
"I think this one's pretty cool," Schwarber endorsed afterward.
If we have one gripe, it would be that the league should ditch the bracket-style matchups used for the second round and instead simply allow the top two to advance to the finals.
But that's a minor quip.
The 2026 derby was a huge success.
Even if MLB runs things back with the exact same format in 2027, we'd find it hard to complain.
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