Aaron Judge, the current MLB home run leader, has announced that he will skip the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby. According to an interview with the New York Post on Saturday, Judge, who plays for the New York Yankees, is well ahead in the race for a third home run title with 28 home runs so far this season. He confirmed that he was asked to participate in the Derby but declined, stating that there was no need to participate this year.
The MLB Home Run Derby has faced challenges in attracting some of the game’s biggest sluggers to participate in the event. Reasons for players hesitating to participate include concerns about the physical toll of taking numerous full-effort swings, superstitions, and just personal preferences. Despite winning the Derby in 2017 during his rookie season, Judge has not participated in the event since. However, he mentioned that he is not done with the Derby and expressed interest in participating when the event returns to New York.
It remains uncertain when the MLB Home Run Derby will be held in New York City again. The next three All-Star Weekends are scheduled for other cities, with Texas hosting in 2024, Atlanta in 2025, and Philadelphia in 2026. The last Home Run Derby in New York took place in 2013 at Citi Field. The Yankees hosted the event