Washington Nationals’ Juan Soto edges Seattle Mariners rookie Julio Rodriguez to win 2022 House Run Derby

LOS ANGELES — Juan Soto gained $1 million on Monday with a swing that’s price a lot extra.

Shaking off commerce rumors that threatened to sully his All-Star week, Soto beat a legend and held off a rookie to win the House Run Derby and the big-money prize that accompanied it in entrance of a sold-out Dodger Stadium crowd.

After not too long ago turning down a 15-year, $440 million contract extension from the Washington Nationals, Soto arrived in Los Angeles early Monday morning along with his future doubtful forward of the Aug. 2 commerce deadline. He emerged unbothered. When requested earlier than the Derby whether or not he was going to win it, his reply was characteristically Soto: “Most likely.” And on that prediction he got here by, vanquishing Albert Pujols within the semifinals and Julio Rodriguez within the finals.

“I am a lone survivor,” Soto stated. “I have been going by all these things, and I am nonetheless right here standing up and with my chin up, on a regular basis. And that reveals you I can undergo something.”

Something, on this case, included a day of answering questions he cannot presumably reply, together with whether or not the Nationals will commerce him earlier than the Aug. 2 deadline or the place he may wind up. Soto as an alternative anxious about his highly effective left-handed swing, taking pictures balls to all fields and ending the finals with 19 dwelling runs to the 18 of his Dominican Republic countryman Rodríguez.

At 23 years, 266 days previous, Soto turned the second-youngest Derby champion — only a day older than 1993 winner Juan Gonzalez.

Till the finals, the Derby had been the newest episode of the J-Rod Present. Rodriguez, the precocious 21-year-old Seattle Mariners outfielder, ambushed the sphere Monday evening, ousting the two-time defending champion and smashing 81 dwelling runs.

The primary hitter of the evening, Rodriguez set the tone for his exhibiting with 32 dwelling runs in his first-round matchup in opposition to the Texas Rangers‘ Corey Seager. Then got here Pete Alonso, the New York Mets slugger who gained the final two competitions in 2019 and 2021 however mustered solely 23 dwelling runs within the semifinals, nicely in need of Rodriguez’s 31.

Then got here his matchup with Soto, in opposition to whom, Rodriguez stated, he used to play Name of Obligation video games. Rodriguez was higher at COD. Soto, no less than on Monday, was superior at HRD.

“What did I present the followers?” Rodriguez stated. “Who I’m, I suppose. They know slightly bit now.”

Rodriguez, who’s incomes the MLB minimal wage of $700,000 this yr, obtained a $500,000 bonus because the runner-up.

Soto was locked in from the start, beating Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez within the first spherical and St. Louis Cardinals nice Pujols within the semifinals. Pujols, 42, is in his remaining season — and upset Philadelphia‘s Kyle Schwarber, the No. 1 seed, within the first spherical, beating him in an extra time interval. He could not sustain with Soto, whose 482-foot dwelling run within the first spherical was the longest of the evening.

“I wasn’t certain if I ought to beat him or let him beat me, however simply the respect — I respect him loads,” Soto stated. “Although I beat him on the finish of the day, it is only a competitors. He is aware of how a lot I am happy with him and the way a lot expertise he brings to all of the generations and recommendation that he provides to us.”

No matter Soto’s future, wherever he winds up, whether or not he is moved earlier than this deadline or after, he stated he would stroll away from this All-Star week certain of 1 factor.

“I shall be a House Run Derby champion without end,” he stated.