The Home Run Derby kicks off tonight from Dodger Stadium, and Round 1 will see number four seed Juan Soto take on number five seed Jose Ramirez.
Below, you can find our Round 1 pick for the Home Run Derby and our best bet on the FanDuel Sportsbook.
Round 1: (4) Juan Soto (-185) vs. (5) Jose Ramirez (+155)The Home Run Derby is one of the MLB calendar’s premier events that draws in fans across the globe for a night of fun and theatrics. This year’s event is filled with youngsters, veterans, and even legends of the game. On paper, the four vs. five matchup should be the most intriguing one of Round 1, with both sluggers possessing incredible deep ball power. Rumored trade candidate Juan Soto of the Washington Nationals is the number four seed, and he’ll be taking on Jose Ramirez, the number five seed of the Cleveland Guardians.
Soto was a human highlight reel in last year’s derby, making his debut in an exciting fashion. He clubbed 46 home runs and defeated Shohei Ohtani in the first round. Meanwhile, Ramirez has one of MLB’s most electric home run swings, and we’ll see him make his derby debut tonight. It’s been a long time coming for the Guardians infielder to participate in the event. Something to watch for here is that Ramirez is a switch hitter who has yet to decide which side of the plate he’ll hit from, which could ultimately help determine how you approach this matchup. These two power hitters can create drama in Round 1, which currently has Soto as a -185 favorite to advance while Ramirez sits at +155 as the underdog. Soto has 20 home runs this season and has a slight edge on Ramirez’s 19 leading into the event.
After a slow start to the season, there have been few hitters that are hotter than Soto in July, which could make him a sneaky play to target in winning this event. Soto set the groundwork for him to follow up an excellent performance in last year’s event but still should have a close battle with Ramirez in Round 1. You might like Ramirez’s value at +155, but the experience Soto put together in the 2021 derby will pay off for him against Ramirez in this opening-round matchup.
Best Bet: Soto to advance (-185)
