Editing Home Run Derby (section)

==Overview==

===Format===
Eight players duel in a home run challenge.

====1985–1990====
In the early years of the Home Run Derby, 4–10 players from both the AL and NL were selected to participate. Each player was given two "innings" to hit as many home runs as possible before reaching five outs. For the derby, an out is defined as any swing that is not a home run. The winner of the contest was the player with the most total home runs in the two innings.

====1991–2005====
Beginning in 1991, the format changed to a 3-round contest. From 1991 to 2006, 8–10 players were selected and hit as many home runs as possible before reaching 10 outs in each round. The tally reset for each round, with the top four advancing to the second round, and the top two advancing to the final.

In honor of the [[World Baseball Classic]], the 2005 contest featured eight players from different countries. The format remained the same.

====2006–2013====
The format changed slightly in 2002. Instead of the tally resetting for each round, it was only reset before the final round. Therefore, the players with the four highest totals after Round 1 advanced to Round 2, and the players with the two highest sums of Round 1 and 2 advanced to the finals.

====2014====
The Home Run Derby format was changed significantly in 2014, as MLB sought to speed up the contest and increase the drama. In the new bracket format, five players from each league faced the other players in their league in Round 1, with each players having seven "outs". The player in each league with the highest Round 1 total received a second-round bye, and the players with the second- and third-highest Round 1 totals from each league faced off. The Round 2 winner from each league faced the Round 1 winner, and the Round 3 winner crowned the league winner. The final featured the winner of each league. Each round stands alone, with the score reset for each round.<ref>[http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article//home-run-derby-to-feature-bracketed-play-as-part-of-new-format?content_id=81241076&partnerId=as_mlb_20140623_26563166&ymd=20140623 Derby to feature bracketed play as part of new format]</ref> Ties in any round are broken by a 3-swing swing-off. If the players remain tied, the players engage in a sudden-death swing-off until one player homers.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2107593-mlb-announces-changes-to-2014-home-run-derby-format-and-rules|title=HR Derby Gets New Format, Rules|last=Keeney|first=Tim|website=[[Bleacher Report]] |access-date=2016-07-12}}</ref>

====2015–2019, 2021–2023====
The format was changed once again in 2015. The most significant change was the elimination of "outs", which was replaced by a time limit. Eight players are seeded based on their season home run totals and are given five minutes to hit as many home runs as possible. The winner of each head-to-head matchup advances, until a final winner is determined. If a tie occurs in any match-up, two sets of tiebreakers are employed: first, a 1-minute swing-off decides the winner; thereafter, multiple swingoffs of 3 swings until a winner is determined. Further, a player can get "bonus time" in the last minute of each round. During that time, the clock would stop for each home run, and would not restart until a swing does not result in a home run. Additional bonus time could be earned for distance. Players who hit at least two home runs measuring at least {{convert|420|ft|m|1}} are given an extra minute of bonus time. An additional 30 seconds of bonus time is granted if at least one home run measures over {{convert|475|ft|m|1}}.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/home-run-derby-to-introduce-new-format/c-133381146|title=Home Run Derby to introduce new format|work=Major League Baseball|access-date=July 21, 2015|archive-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702230155/http://m.mlb.com/news/article/133381146/home-run-derby-to-introduce-new-format|url-status=live}}</ref>

Weather concerns in 2015 led to a reduction in time from five minutes per round to four minutes. The clock was not stopped in the final minute, and one minute of bonus time was granted only for hitting two home runs of at least {{convert|425|ft|m|1}}.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.si.com/mlb/2015/07/06/2015-mlb-home-run-derby-rules-start-time|title=Home Run Derby Five-Minute Guide: Everything you need to know|last=Corcoran|first=Cliff|website=www.si.com|access-date=2016-07-12}}</ref>

The four-minute round length was made permanent in 2016, while the minute of bonus time was reduced to 30 seconds and required two home runs of at least {{convert|440|ft|m|1}}. The additional time was removed.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://bleacherreport.com/articles/2651055-home-run-derby-2016-participants-breakdown-of-new-rules-for-all-star-showcase|title=Home Run Derby 2016: Participants, Breakdown of New Rules for All-Star Showcase|last=Silverman|first=Steve|website=[[Bleacher Report]] |access-date=2016-07-12}}</ref> Each batter is allowed one time-out during each round, and two in the finals.

For 2017 and 2018, the first tie-breaker was increased from a 1-minute swing off to {{fraction|1|1|2}} minutes. However, it was not needed in either of these years. The swing-off reverted to one minute in 2019, the first year in which it was used.

In 2021, the time limit was changed to three minutes plus a bonus of thirty seconds, with an additional thirty seconds of bonus time (for a total of one minute) added if a player hit a home run over 475 feet during regulation. In case of a tie, the contestants get one additional minute. If there still is a tie, each contestant gets three swings and repeats on ties thereafter. In the final round, the finalists get two minutes.

In 2022, the additional bonus time requirements reverted back to two home runs of at least 440 feet. Separate from the regular home run derby, if the [[2022 Major League Baseball All-Star Game|2022 All-Star Game]] itself had been tied after nine innings, a second home run derby would have been held to determine the winner. This derby would have been under somewhat different rules. It would not be timed, and each manager would pick three players to make three swings each to hit as many home runs as possible. If the tie persisted, extra players would have had triple-swing rounds until one team outslugged the other, with the winner getting a run and hit credited.<ref name="mlb-all-star-extras">{{Cite news |last=Castrovince |first=Anthony |date=July 19, 2022 |title=If All-Star Game is tied after 9, we'll get another HR Derby |language=en |work=[[MLB.com]] |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/all-star-game-tiebreaker-home-run-derby |access-date=July 19, 2022}}</ref> A similar format would have been used in 2023 if the All-Star Game was tied after nine innings.<ref name="mlb-all-star-extras-2023">{{Cite news |last=Curtis |first=Charles |date=July 11, 2023 |title=What are the All-Star Game tiebreaker rules and format? (SPOILER: HOME RUN DERBY!) |language=en |work=[[USA Today]] |url=https://ftw.usatoday.com/2023/07/all-star-game-tie-rules-tiebreaker-home-run-derby |access-date=July 12, 2023}}</ref>

====Since 2024====
The format was revised prior to the 2024 event. The first round has reverted back to an open round, where the top four competitors advance. They now have three minutes, or 40 pitches, to hit as many home runs as possible. During this run, the hitters are entitled to one 30-second timeout. After their initial run ends, the hitters go into a new, un-timed "bonus period", where they attempt to hit as many home runs as possible before making three outs (any swing that is not a home run). During this period, if a competitor hits a home run that travels over {{convert|425|ft|m|1}}, they earn an additional out to work with. Ties are broken by the distance of the longest home run; otherwise, if both players tie, a one-minute playoff, and if needed, multiple three-swing rounds to decide it.

The second round is a bracket-style round, where the competitors are seeded based on their performance in the previous round. The winners of their respective head-to-head matchup advance to the finals. The rules for the round remain the same, with the tiebreaker rules from the previous format remaining as well. 

The final round remains largely the same, except for the time limit reducing to two minutes and the pitch limit reducing to 27 pitches. Whoever hits the most home runs in the round is declared champion; otherwise, players go into a one-minute playoff, and if needed, multiple three-swing rounds to decide it.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Olney|first=Buster|title=Home Run Derby rule changes aimed at reducing frantic pace|url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/40469504/mlb-unveils-changes-2024-home-run-derby-rules-format|website=espn.com|publisher=[[ESPN]]|date=June 30, 2024|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Jacobson|first1=Cole|title=New Home Run Derby format, rules announced|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/new-home-run-derby-format-rules-announced-2024|website=mlb.com|publisher=[[Major League Baseball|MLB]]|date=June 30, 2024|accessdate=June 30, 2024}}</ref>

===Gold balls===
From 2005 to 2013, a gold ball has been used once a player reaches nine outs (in 2014 when the T-Mobile Ball came into play, six; since 2015, during the final minute). If a batter hit a home run using the golden ball, [[Century 21 Real Estate]] and [[Major League Baseball]] would donate $21,000 (a reference to the "21" in "Century 21") per home run to charity (MLB donated to the [[Boys & Girls Clubs of America]], and Century 21 donated to [[Easterseals (U.S.)|Easterseals]]). In both 2005 and 2006, $294,000 was raised for the charities, equaling 14 golden ball home runs per year. [[State Farm]] continued this in 2007 as they designated $17,000 per home run (one dollar for each of State Farm's agencies), to the Boys & Girls Clubs of America. In the [[2007 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|2007 event]], 15 golden balls were hit for a donation of $255,000, and 10 ($170,000) were hit in the [[2008 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|2008 event]]. For [[2009 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|2009]], State Farm added $5,000 for all non-Gold Ball homers, and $517,000 was collected. For [[2010 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|2010]], the non-Gold Ball homer was reduced to $3,000 per home run and a total of $453,000 was collected. Since [[2014 Major League Baseball Home Run Derby|2014]] any homer hit off a magenta T-Mobile Ball resulted in a $10,000 donation to charity by T-Mobile and MLB, to [[Team Rubicon]].