Former Houston Astros Slugger Narrowly Wins Home Run Derby

A former Houston Astros player narrowly won the 2024 Home Run Derby in dramatic fashion.

Jul 15, 2024; Arlington, TX, USA; The 2024 MLB Home Run Derby trophy. / Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

The Houston Astros didn't have anyone competing in the Home Run Derby on Monday night at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX, but the eventual winner still had some Astros ties.

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Teoscar Hernandez won the 2024 Home Run Derby, beating out Kansas City Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr. in the final round. After socking 14 homers in the third round, Hernandez could only watch as Witt clubbed 13 homers, falling just short. He was likely holding his breath on Witt's final out, which clanged off the wall in left-center. Had it gone just a few feet higher, the derby might have turned out differently.

But it didn't, and Hernandez prevailed. The 31-year-old All-Star became the first Dodger to win the event, smashing 49 homers across all three rounds combined.

TEOSCAR HERNÁNDEZ IS YOUR 2024 #HRDERBY CHAMPION 💥 pic.twitter.com/YCUAejtxWp

— MLB (@MLB) July 16, 2024

Hernandez only recently joined Los Angeles, however, signing a one-year, $23.5 million deal with the Dodgers last offseason. Prior to that, he spent 2023 with the Seattle Mariners and 2017-22 with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The veteran slugger got his start in Houston, though, which signed him as an amateur free agent in 2011. Hernandez debuted in August 2016 and held his own, batting .230/.304/.420 with four home runs and 11 RBI in his first 41 career games.

Unfortunately, the Astros didn't give Hernandez much chance to prove himself. He appeared in only one game for Houston in 2017 before being traded to the Blue Jays for Francisco Liriano and Nori Aoki, where he later established himself as one of the best power hitters in baseball and made his first All-Star team in 2021.

While Hernandez didn't spend much time with Houston, he was still part of the 2017 World Series champions, even if only for one game.

Hernandez hasn't been a Dodger for long, but he's already making some special memories with his new team. Meanwhile, the Astros are probably still kicking themselves for shipping him away.