Oneil Cruz wasn’t able to capture the crown at the 2025 Home Run Derby, but he put on a show. Pirates ace Paul Skenes was right; the derby was great for Cruz. Skenes was down on the field with Livvy Dunne supporting his teammate, and Pat McAfee was a guest on the microphone. Pittsburgh was well represented at the derby. Cruz couldn’t bring the trophy home, but he made the Steel City proud, despite what local radio guys will say.
Cruz had the baseball world captivated by his impressive first round. He hit 21 home runs, including a 513-foot bomb that ended up being the longest home run of the night and the longest in Truist Park history. His 21 homers tied Junior Caminero for the most in the first round. The 513-foot nuke was the longest home run in a derby since 2021. Cruz had the five longest homers of the night and poked 10 pitches 470 feet or longer.
Other players down on the field were in awe of Cruz’s raw power. Skenes wasn’t surprised. Last week, he said that Cruz took the best batting practice he has ever seen. The world got to see it on Monday night. Cruz exorcised the demons of the Pirates’ past at the derby. Bobby Bonilla, Barry Bonds, and Jason Bay got embarrassed. Andrew McCutchen, Pedro Alvarez, and Josh Bell did fine, but none of them produced the fireworks that Cruz did in 2025. The MLB did the right thing by including him in the event.
The format of the Home Run Derby stinks. The MLB needs to go back to the old system with no timer. The fast pace forces a garbage camera setup. Fans want to watch the swing and see the ball land. Another abysmal mistake was not having a swing-off between Cal Raleigh and Brent Rooker to advance to the semifinal. One inch cost Rooker his life. Raleigh went on to slay Cruz and whoop Caminero to win the derby. Not to take away from Raleigh’s big night, but the MLB needs to do something different.
Aside from the foolish format, the MLB needs to do a better job of marketing the derby. It should be a big deal. Move it to the Fourth of July. Bring in the league’s best bats. Offer a cash prize for 500+ foot homers. It’s not hard to make the Home Run Derby exciting. It should be one of baseball’s grandest nights. Make baseball fun again.
The MLB should make sure that Cruz is a staple of the Home Run Derby for years to come. He’s the Statcast darling. His bat speed, exit velocity, and raw power make him a perfect fit for the event. Cruz’s game is still growing, but he was born for the Home Run Derby. The Pirates slugger will be back.
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