Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton Will Not Participate In This Year's Home Run Derby

Two of baseball's biggest sluggers say no to Home Run Derby

New York Yankees sluggers Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton have decided to pass on this year's Home Run Derby will be held at Nationals Park in Washington on July 16. Judge and Stanton are the last two derby champions.

"I don’t think so," Stanton said, via the New York Post. “Don’t want to, I’ve done it plenty of times. Take a year off, take two years off, if I want.’’

The Yankees are 58–29 on the season and sit in second place in the American League East and just two games behind the Boston Red Sox for first.

“This year we’ve got something special going. I kind of said I’m not going…and I want to stay healthy," Judge said.

After last year's Derby, Judge struggled at the plate, but still finished with 52 home runs and won the AL Rookie of the Year award.

Judge will start for the American League in the All-Star Game and thinks that Stanton, who has 21 home runs this season, should join him.

"I got a long list of reasons why people should vote for him," Judge said. "Just the type of player he is. How his consistent at-bats as of late, the home-run numbers. He’s getting on base. He’s moving guys over. He’s doing all the things that warrant being an All-Star."