CBS Sports outlines hypothetical eight-player field for 2026 Home Run Derby in Philadelphia
The 2026 event, scheduled for July 13 at Citizens Bank Park, would see Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber return alongside Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout, while excluding injured stars such as Aaron Judge.
CBS Sports has published a hypothetical selection for the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby, proposing an eight-player field for the event scheduled for Monday, 13 July, at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. The outlined lineup prioritises home-team representation, recent power-hitting performance, and narrative appeal, while explicitly excluding injured stars such as Aaron Judge and Munetaka Murakami due to health concerns.
The proposed field features two Philadelphia Phillies players: Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Harper, who won the Derby in Washington D.C. in 2018, has indicated his participation is contingent on making the All-Star team and remaining healthy. Schwarber, currently the MLB leader in home runs with 23, previously finished as runner-up to Harper in 2018 and led the National League with 56 home runs last season.
Los Angeles Angels star Mike Trout is reportedly considering his first participation in the event. Trout, a native of South Jersey and a fan of the Philadelphia Eagles, has declined invitations in previous years but has suggested the timing may be right given his current health and the venue’s proximity to his home region. He is expected to make the All-Star team for the first time since 2023.
Other suggested entrants include Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr., Houston Astros first baseman Yordan Alvarez, and Chicago White Sox players Luis Robert Jr. and Ben Rice. Acuña, who recently returned from injury, has topped 40 home runs twice in his career. Alvarez, who hit 22 home runs in 2026 after missing significant time in 2025, is on pace for a career high. Robert Jr. has hit 15 home runs, while Rice has recorded 18 this season.
The 2026 Derby will feature a clock, a format change introduced in 2015. Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners won the 2025 event, defeating Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays in the final round. The hypothetical selection by CBS Sports remains a speculative exercise and does not constitute an official MLB announcement.
