The new format for the 2015 Home Run Derby will surely make for an interesting night on Monday. The matchups were announced just a day after Albert Pujols said he would participate in the event for the first time since 2009.
He'll get Chicago Cubs' rookie phenom Kris Bryant in the first round.
This bracket-style tournament also features matchups between Baltimore Orioles third baseman Manny Machado vs. Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Joc Pederson; Texas Rangers first baseman Prince Fielder vs. Cincinnati Reds third baseman Todd Frazier; and Toronto Blue Jays third baseman Josh Donaldson vs. Chicago Cubs first baseman Anthony Rizzo.
Here's a picture of the bracket provided by ESPN:
Here's the format and rules first announced by MLB Communications:
2015 Gillette HR Derby presented by Head & Shoulders introduces new format, featuring brackets & timed rounds. pic.twitter.com/e3sFa1qxBp
— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) June 28, 2015
And here's a quick rundown of the new rules provided by Bill Baer of NBC Sports' HardballTalk:
"It's a bracket-style, single-elimination tournament in which the loser of each bracket is eliminated immediately. Seeding is based on 2015 home run totals as of July 7. Ties are broken by home runs hit since July 7, with the winner getting the higher seeding. The higher seed hits last.
"Each batter gets five minutes per round, with the timer starting when the first pitch is thrown. Home runs hit during the final minute will stop the timer. The timer will not start again until hits a non-home run, or swings and misses.
"Batters can attain bonus time. They can get one additional minute for hitting two home runs that equal or exceed 420 feet (as measured by MLB Advanced Media's Statcast). A home run greater than or equal to 475 feet will result in 30 bonus seconds. The two bonuses are not mutually exclusive.
"If two batters are tied at the end of a round, they'll go into a 90-second swing-off. In a swing-off, the timer cannot stop for any reason and no bonus time can be claimed. Should a tie remain at the end of a swing-off, they'll move into successive three-swing swing-offs until a winner is decided.
"In any round, once the second batter (the "home" batter, for all intents and purposes) passes the first batter ("away") in home runs, the round will be stopped and he will advance.
"Each batter can use one 45-second time-out per round to collect his thoughts, take a breath, etc."
The 2015 Home Run Derby will take place on Monday, July 13 at 8:00 p.m. on ESPN.
