Cardinals’ Walker claims MLB Home Run Derby title
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PHILADELPHIA -- Jordan Walker played spoiler in Philadelphia and homered on his last six swings to knock off Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber and silence the Philly boo birds in the final round, becoming the first Cardinal to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night.
Schwarber hit 11 homers during his 15-swing turn in the final round. Philly fans, who booed everyone but Schwarber and Bryce Harper throughout the night, quietly headed toward the exits when Walker's winning shot soared over the left field wall.
Schwarber advanced out of the first round and then beat Boston's Willson Contreras in a head-to-head matchup in the second round to face off against Walker, who beat Tampa Bay's Junior Caminero.
Schwarber, the major league baseball home run leader, had fans roaring on every swing.
Wearing a backward cap just like Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr, the 24-year-old Walker chewed gum and seemed nonplussed by the jeers and the massive stage during All-Star Game festivities.
He hit his seventh homer with two swings remaining and his eighth on the next swing to earn bonus swings. Needing to hit four straight homers to win, the right-handed Jordan knocked one off the top of the center field fence 401 feet away. He reached 10 homers and Philly fans booed with all their might, only for Jordan to cap the upset victory.
Harper upset
Harper said FanDuel SportsBook had "no right" to use its logo on a Cameo video he made.
The Philadelphia Inquirer reported last week that Harper's video was sent to a fan with a gambling addiction. The fan, Terry Thompson, had wagered $18.5 million with FanDuel.
Harper said he was unaware of FanDuel's intentions or Thompson's situation. The video was marked with FanDuel's logo, and Harper said he did not consent to this use.
He addressed the issue on social media Monday, hours before the Home Run Derby.
Schwarber leading off
Schwarber of the host Phillies will lead off for the National League in tonight's All-Star Game as the replacement for designated hitter Shohei Ohtani, who is skipping the showcase to have a knee procedure ahead of the season's second half.
New York Yankees first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Cody Bellinger, and Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene gained American League starting spots because of injuries.
Rice, third in the major leagues with 29 home runs, starts at first base because Toronto's Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is skipping the game to rest a bad back. Guerrero's initial replacement, the Athletics' Nick Kurtz, sprained a thumb.
Mattingly has weird role
Don Mattingly felt a tinge of awkwardness when he was offered the chance to serve as a coach under Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts at the All-Star Game.
Mattingly passed on a guaranteed spot when he left his job as Toronto's bench coach for manager John Schneider after the World Series when the Blue Jays lost the World Series in seven games to the Dodgers.
He's now the interim manager for the Phillies and has them back in the thick of the playoff race. He'll also coach against Schneider and his Blue Jays staff at tonight's All-Star Game played in Philadelphia.