Ronald Acuna Jr. is officially back in the Home Run Derby — and this time, it’s personal.
The elated Atlanta Braves star announced Wednesday on SportsCenter that he’ll compete in the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby at Truist Park on July 14, just one day before the MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta.
When asked about what he’s most exciting for ahead of the anticipated event, Acuna broke it down perfectly. The former MVP is batting .383 with nine home runs and 18 RBIs since his return from injury in May.
“I’m just happy to announce that I’ll be participating in this year’s Home Run Derby, and I’m even more excited to be doing it at home in Atlanta in front of our fans,” Acuna said through an interpreter, per ESPN. “They’re a big reason I’m doing this. I’m Ronald Acuna Jr. because of their support. I’m just excited to go back and home and do this for them.”
Acuna Will Be A Betting Favorite No Matter Who Participates
That support will be on full display. This is the first time Atlanta is hosting the All-Star festivities in over two decades, and Acuna — already a four-time All-Star and 40-70 club member — is the face of the team and the city. He’s done nearly everything in a Braves uniform, but winning the Home Run Derby is still on his list.
This marks Acuna’s third Derby appearance, and he’s got some unfinished business. In both 2019 and 2022, he was knocked out by Pete Alonso — and both times by the same narrow score: 20-19.
Now, in his home park, with his fans behind him, Acuna’s hoping to flip the script.
A Feat That Hasn’t Been Touched By Braves
No Braves player has ever won the Derby. But Acuna has the power and the motivation to be the first. Even coming off ACL surgery, he’s looked locked in.
If that wasn’t enough proof of his power, here’s one more stat: since 2018, no one in baseball has hit more 450-foot home runs than Ronald Acuna Jr. Not Judge. Not Ohtani. Just Acuna, with 24 and counting.
And Truist Park? It’s built for moments like this. The ball flies in Atlanta, especially for righties with Acuna’s kind of bat speed. Add the energy of a hometown crowd and the motivation of two past heartbreaks, and you’ve got the perfect recipe for a show.
We don’t yet know the full field — names like Alonso, Soto, and Gunnar Henderson could be in the mix — but Acuna will be front and center.
He’s not just swinging for a title. He’s swinging for pride. For Atlanta. For a chance to finally finish what he started.
So yes, the Braves star is in the Derby. And yes, he’s motivated.
Acuna has prepared the baseball community for what’s coming, and now the countdown to July 14 is officially on.
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