One of the most anticipated sports exhibitions on the sports calendar happens Monday with some of baseball’s best sluggers competing in the Home Run Derby in Seattle.
Randy Arozarena vs. Adolis Garcia (-140)
On the bracket, four seed Adonis Garcia of the Texas Rangers takes in five seed Randy Arozarena of the Tampa Bay Rays with a ballpark familiarity edge going to Garcia.
With the Rangers being in the same division as the Seattle Mariners, who are hosting the All-Star week festivities, he’s hit in this ballpark more often than anyone other the Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez.
For his career, Garcia has had just three home runs in 22 career games at T-Mobile Park, with just three of those games coming this season, in which he’s broken out to lead the league with 75 RBI and tied for sixth in home runs with 23.
As for Arozarena, much of his power production came early in the season as he enters the competition having hit just five home runs in his last 41 games played across 143 at-bats after belting 11 home runs in his first 47 games played and 172 at-bats of the season.
Also helping Garcia is having some experience in his corner. While Garcia himself has not partaken in the Home Run Derby, Tony Beasley, who is the Rangers third base coach, pitched in the 2021 Home Run Derby to Joey Gallo.
With Garcia entering the competition with a hot bat, having hit eight home runs in his last 20 games played and having the edge in ballpark familiarity, the Texas slugger will advance out of the first round of the Home Run Derby.
The Play: Adonis Garcia -140 over Randy Arozarena
