The stage is set for one of baseball’s most electrifying nights. As the 2025 Home Run Derby approaches, anticipation builds—not just for the power display, but for the drama timed to perfection under the stadium lights.

Fans and players alike await the moment when the first pitch is thrown, signaling the start of a battle where every swing counts. Timing is key in this contest, where a ticking clock adds pressure to the chase for the crown.

This year’s event promises unforgettable MLB moments, fueled by fierce competition and tight scheduling. The clock is ticking, and the question on everyone’s mind: when exactly does the Derby begin?

What time does the Home Run Derby start and where is it?

The 2025 MLB Home Run Derby is set to ignite the excitement at Truist Park on Monday, July 14, with a prime time start at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. As part of All-Star Week, this event gathers the league’s top power hitters ready to put on a show full of towering home runs and high-energy competition.

Baseball fans nationwide will be glued to their screens as eight of the sport’s biggest sluggers step up to the plate, each aiming to out-homer their rivals. The Derby’s format, packed with timed rounds and knockout stages, guarantees edge-of-your-seat moments as the participants battle for the title.

Broadcast live on ESPN, it offers a perfect summer night of entertainment, blending raw power with strategic hitting. It’s a must-watch event where heroes are made and the crack of the bat echoes through the stadium under the July night sky.

July 14 is a rare quiet day on the MLB schedule. No games, no action on the diamond. Instead, the league pauses amid the buzz of All-Star Week, giving players and fans a momentary break before the big events unfold.

This break isn’t due to rainouts or disputes. It’s a planned pause—a breath before the intense midseason showcase. The silence is the calm before the Home Run Derby and All-Star Game storms, where stars take center stage.

While stadiums stay empty, the focus shifts behind the scenes. Players rest and prepare, fans anticipate, and the countdown ticks down to the Home Run Derby tonight and the All-Star Game tomorrow.

Why are there no MLB games on July 14?

There are no Major League Baseball games scheduled today because it’s the designated off day during All-Star Week. This pause allows players to rest, travel, and participate in the league’s showcase events.

July 14 lands between two of the biggest moments of the week: the Home Run Derby and the All-Star Game. It’s a built-in breather—an annual tradition meant to let the league reset, give players a midseason break and turn attention to the stars of the show.

What’s on the schedule during All-Star Week?

All-Star Week is a celebration stretching over several days, packed with events that highlight the best talent in baseball. On July 14, there are no regular-season games, giving players a chance to recharge before the big moments ahead.

On the evening of July 14, the spotlight shines on the Home Run Derby, a fan-favorite spectacle where sluggers go head-to-head in a battle of power and precision. It’s a night of high stakes and high drama that sets the tone for the week.

Then, on July 15, the Midsummer Classic takes center stage—the All-Star Game itself—pitting the best players from the American and National Leagues against each other. Beyond the game, the week features the Futures Game, celebrity softball matches, and fan events, making it a full baseball festival.

The 2025 Home Run Derby returns with more than just star power—it brings a fresh twist to the format. At Truist Park, timing, precision, and raw strength will matter more than ever in a contest built for spectacle.

Eight sluggers enter round one, but not all will survive the bracket. With each swing measured not just by power but by pace, the updated rules are set to push even the most seasoned hitters to their limits.

Bonus time, swing limits and tie-breaking blasts—all part of a structure designed to reward consistency and drama. As the format evolves, so does the pressure. One misstep could end a title dream before it begins.

How does the 2025 Home Run Derby format work?

The 2025 Home Run Derby kicks off with eight participants, each given three minutes or a maximum of 40 pitches in the opening round—whichever comes first. Once that timed session ends, a bonus period begins where players continue to swing until they record three outs.

In this context, any swing that doesn’t result in a home run counts as an out. However, there’s an added twist: if a player manages to hit a ball over 425 feet during the bonus time, they earn a fourth out, buying themselves a crucial extra chance.

Only the top four home run hitters from the first round move on to the semifinals, where they’re seeded based on their totals: the highest scorer faces the fourth, and the second goes up against the third. In these matchups, each player gets two minutes or up to 27 pitches. Importantly, home runs from the first round do not carry over—every round is a fresh start.

The final round follows the same rules as the semis: two minutes or 27 pitches per hitter. The competitor with the most home runs in the final takes home the crown. Each batter is also allowed a single 45-second timeout during their round, though this can’t be used during the bonus period or in tiebreakers. If a semifinal or final ends in a tie, it’s settled through a three-swing “swing-off”, repeated until a winner emerges.

What’s at stake for the winner?

Beyond the glory and highlight reels, the 2025 Home Run Derby winner takes home more than just bragging rights. Major League Baseball has continued its tradition of rewarding the champion with a $1 million prize, making it one of the most lucrative single-night payouts in the sport.

But for many players, the stakes are also legacy-defining. Past Derby wins have elevated careers, boosted marketability, and turned rising stars into household names. It’s a high-profile spotlight in the middle of the baseball calendar—a stage where a single night can reshape how a player is perceived league-wide.

In front of a packed crowd at Truist Park and a national television audience, the winner walks away not only richer, but immortalized in Derby lore. From Ken Griffey Jr. to Pete Alonso, the list of champions reads like a roll call of sluggers who left a mark. This year’s victor will soon join that elite company.

The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd—summer’s biggest power showcase returns as the 2025 Home Run Derby takes center stage during All-Star week. And this year, the lineup promises fireworks beyond the outfield fences.

From returning champs to breakout sluggers, the list of participants blends experience with fresh momentum. Names are still buzzing across sports radio and social feeds as fans speculate who might steal the spotlight in Georgia.

Hosted at Truist Park, the event brings an Atlanta-sized dose of adrenaline to this year’s festivities. With anticipation building, all eyes are now locked on the eight-man bracket and the swing-for-swing MLB drama it’s bound to bring.

Who’s stepping up to the plate in the 2025 Home Run Derby?

The 2025 Home Run Derby lineup is locked in, and it’s one of the most electrifying in recent memory. With a powerful blend of seasoned hitters and emerging stars, this year’s contest promises both nostalgia and surprise:

• Cal Raleigh (Seattle Mariners) – MLB’s home run leader with 38 long balls so far.
• James Wood (Washington Nationals) – A 22-year-old breakout star with 24 HRs.
• Byron Buxton (Minnesota Twins) – Returning slugger from Georgia with 21 HRs.
• Oneil Cruz (Pittsburgh Pirates) – Noted for epic exit velocities, 16 HRs.
• Junior Caminero (Tampa Bay Rays) – Young phenom with 23 HRs.
• Brent Rooker (Oakland A’s) – Consistent power hitter with ~20 HRs.
• Jazz Chisholm Jr. (New York Yankees) – Showman with 17 HRs, added late to the field.
• Matt Olson (Atlanta Braves) – Local favorite replacing Acuña Jr., 17 HRs this season.

What makes this field especially thrilling is its unpredictability. No single player is a clear-cut favorite, and each brings a unique style—some with raw strength, others with timing and finesse. It’s a bracket built for drama, and with the Derby returning to a baseball-loving city like Atlanta, the energy in Truist Park is already simmering.

Several pitchers speculated that the league ‘juiced’ the new baseballs to make them more home run-friendly; and even though Manfred’s office has denied those accusations over and over, the numbers speak for themselves.

Still, the league can’t seem to figure out a way to shorten games when they go to extra innings, and it seems like the controversial new rule of a runner on second base on every extra inning isn’t going to stay for long.

MLB’s Pioneer League Will Try A New Home Run Derby Format In Extra Innings

That’s because, according to a recent statement, Major League Baseball will turn to its Pioneer Baseball League to test a new ‘sudden death Knock Out’ format that’s basically a Home Run Derby for extra innings, starting this season.

“To avoid the excessive strain on our pitching staffs, the Pioneer Baseball League will not have extra innings, but rather will employ a first-of-its-kind “Knock Out” rule that resolves tied games with a head-to-head, “sudden death” home run duel. Under the rule, each team designates a hitter who receives 5 pitches, with the game determined by the most home runs hit. If still tied after the first “Knock Out” round, another hitter is selected for a sudden-death home run face-off until a winner is declared,” the statement read.

The Commissioner’s office continues to find ways to change the game and get the ratings back up. Some may like it, some don’t, but it seems like these experiments won’t go away any time soon, so we better enjoy the ride.