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Nationals Park in D.C. will be home to many bombs, dingers, blasts and moonshots on Monday night, as MLB’s best sluggers compete in the 2018 Home Run Derby.
The derby is scheduled to start at 8 p.m. ET and will be broadcast on ESPN. But if you don’t have cable or can’t get to a TV, you can still easily watch the action live (or DVR it) on your computer, phone or streaming device by signing up for one of the following cable-free, live-TV streaming services:
In addition to a Netflix-like on-demand streaming library, Hulu now also offers a bundle of live TV channels, including ESPN. You can sign up for “Hulu with Live TV” right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the home run derby on your computer via the Hulu website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Hulu app.
Additionally, if you aren’t able to watch live, “Hulu with Live TV” also comes with 50 hours of Cloud DVR storage (with the ability to upgrade to “Enhanced Cloud DVR,” which gives you 200 hours of DVR space and the ability to fast forward through commercials), allowing you to record the event if you want.
ESPN is included in the “Sling Orange” channel package. You can sign up for a free 7-day trial right here, and you can then watch a live stream of the derby on your computer via the Sling TV website, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the Sling TV app.
Additionally, if you can’t watch live, you can get 50 hours of cloud DVR storage as an additional add-on when signing up for your free trial.
ESPN Platforms
The derby can also be watched on your computer via ESPN.com, or on your phone, tablet or streaming device via the ESPN app. You’ll need to log-in to a cable provider to watch this way, but if you don’t have that, you can still sign up for one of the above options and then use your Hulu or Sling TV credentials to sign in and watch on the ESPN digital platforms.
Preview
Once again, MLB is going with a bracket format for this year’s competition. Here’s a look at all the participants and their paths to home-run glory:
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No real surprise here, but Bryce Harper is the oddsmakers’ favorite. Not only has he blasted 23 home runs this season, including one of the longest of the year with a 473-foot shot against the Phillies in May, but he’ll be looking to put on a show in front of the home-town crowd.
Harper’s only previous appearance in this competition was in 2013, when he advanced to the finals before running into the buzzsaw that was Yoenis Cespedes.
Everyone else in this year’s derby will be competing for the first time, so it’s tough to know what to expect.
Jesus Aguilar, the only player in the competition with more home runs than Harper (24), is also first in the majors in isolated power and should be considered a major threat, while guys like Kyle Schwarber and Rhys Hoskins have the kind of raw power that could help them excel in a derby.
One man who won’t be participating is Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge, who opted not to return to defend his title.
“The main reason why I did it was for the fans,” he said. “That’s really the only reason why you do it … for the fans. Put on a good show. This year, we’ve got something special going on here. I’m kind of sad I’m not doing it, but we’ve got something pretty special here. I just want to stay healthy going into the second half.”