​Nothing screams baseball like home runs. Whether it’s a walk-off shot in the bottom of the ninth or a leadoff homer setting the tone, everybody stops what they’re doing when that crack echoes around the ballpark.For one night a year, there’s an event that purely focuses on swinging out of your shoes and hitting balls as far as possible: the prodigious Home Run Derby. Every July before the All-Star Game, eight participants take center stage and go homer-for-homer to determine the superior slugger.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThis year’s contest holds a unique mix of swingers with a new format for the first time in 11 years. Residing in the infamous home of Red October, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia will host the anticipation on Monday night.In 2015, Major League Baseball made the switch from an outs-based format in the derby to a time-based one. Instead of a set number of outs (non-home runs) the hitter gets before their round is over, there was a two-minute timer, resulting in frantic, explosive races.But now, the clock is ditched, and the outs return. Starting in 2026, each participant gets 20 swings in the opening round to hit as many home runs as they can. But if a player hits a homer on their final swing of the round, they can keep swinging until they do not hit one over the fence.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAll eight batters will take their 20 swings in Round 1, and the four with the most homers will advance to Round 2. The farthest single home run distance determines any tiebreakers in the first round.Then in Round 2, the four remaining swingers go head-to-head for the Finals. The player with the most from Round 1 faces the fourth-most, and the second- and third-most battle. The two winners will advance to the Finals and play for the $1 million prize. Each turn in the final two rounds gets 15 swings, and tiebreakers are decided via a three-swing swing-off.With the new unhurried format in place, let’s meet the field.A pair of active legends who are in Philadelphia’s all-time top 10 list of slugging percentage are stepping into the batter’s box. Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber will both represent the Phillies on Monday night, in the comfort of their home ballpark.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementSchwarber, at age 33 and the favorite of the derby, has hit the most home runs of anyone in 2026. His 32 leads baseball and is currently three more than any other competitor. Schwarber has been nearly flawless in everything it takes to hit a home run this year, from exit velocity to barrel percentage.Harper has been hitting home runs since coming out of the womb. Since making this immensely anticipated debut as a 19-year-old in 2012, Harper has brought power at every stage of his career and is seeking his second Home Run Derby title. He has hit 20 bombs so far, tied for the second-fewest of the field but still superb for the future Hall of Famer.Schwarber and Harper’s veteran spirit is quickly outmatched