Rangers' Joey Gallo completes field for 2021 Home Run Derby
And then there were eight.
Texas Rangers outfielder Joey Gallo confirmed after Wednesday's loss to the Detroit Tigers that he is participating in this coming Monday's Home Run Derby at Coors Field, home of the Colorado Rockies.
As ESPN noted, Gallo hit a pair of homers Wednesday to get to 23 round-trippers on the season. Per ESPN stats, he went into Wednesday night's schedule of games sixth in all of MLB for that category.
Gallo's announcement came hours after Washington Nationals outfielder Juan Soto declared he's competing in the Derby, and it also finalized the field of eight participants. Gallo and Soto will battle Colorado shortstop Trevor Story, Los Angeles Angels two-way player Shohei Ohtani, Oakland Athletics first baseman Matt Olson, Baltimore Orioles first baseman Trey Mancini, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez and defending champion Pete Alonso of the New York Mets.
Also on Wednesday, Ohtani crushed his 32nd bomb of the season to set a record for homers hit in an MLB campaign by a Japanese-born player.
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