Jordan Walker Wins Home Run Derby, Defeating Kyle Schwarber in Philadelphia

Jordan Walker captured the Home Run Derby championship on Monday night in Philadelphia, delivering six straight home runs to surpass Kyle Schwarber, who finished the final round with 11 homers. The 24-year-old Cardinals rookie became the first player from St. Louis to win the event, silencing a crowd that had been vocal in support of the home-team sluggers.

Walker, who wore his Cardinals cap backward and chewed gum during his swing, said, "I was once told you don’t boo nobodies, so it feels pretty good." He added that the atmosphere in Philadelphia was intense but appreciated the passion of the fans for their own players.

The Derby, which returned to a swing-based format after abandoning a timed clock, allowed each participant up to 20 swings in the first round and 15 in the second, with additional swings granted for each home run on the final swing. Other competitors included Willson Contreras, Junior Caminero, Ben Rice, Jac Caglianone and Munetaka Murakami.

Schwarber, a two-time Derby runner-up, commented, "You can’t say enough about how he was able to kind of slow the moment down, too, and lock it in." The event marked the first All-Star Game and Derby held at Citizens Bank Park since its opening in 2004 and was streamed live on Netflix as part of a new multi-event partnership.