By Jackson Schneider
Kansas City Royals Catcher Salvador Perez made his first career appearance in the MLB All-Star Home Run Derby last night, blasting 28 home runs in the opening round of the playoff-format derby.
Perez's 28 homers were the most ever hit by a catcher in the Home Run Derby, yet he was unable to make it out of the first round. Eventual Derby Champ Pete Alonso hit 35 in the first round, ousting Perez.
The newer format for the Derby pits eight hitters against one other player in four head-to-head quarterfinals, and so on throughout the tournament.
Unfortunately for Perez, he drew the short straw, having to take on the reigning Home Run Derby Champion in the first round. While coming up seven short against Alonso, Perez's effort would have been enough to win two other matchups, with the only other player to out perform him being Washington's Juan Soto, who hit 31.
Alonso would then defeat Soto 16-15 in the semifinals and then Baltimore's Trey Mancini 23-22 in the finals to win his second-straight Derby title.
Now, attention will turn to the All-Star game tonight in Denver, with two Royals represented. Perez, making his seventh appearance for Kansas City, while his teammate Whit Merrifield will join him this season. Merrifield, playing second base, will be appearing in the Summer Classic for the second time in his career.