Derby Format Switches
MLB Home Run Derby Will Change to Swings-Based Format for 2026 Netflix Event
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Key Points
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Netflix gathered input from “the league and players” to help shape the new Home Run Derby format before taking over as the broadcaster, according to The Athletic/NYT reporting: “The broadcaster sought feedback from both the league and the players on ways to improve the event.”
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MLB’s timed Derby format (introduced in 2015) was designed to “speed up the Home Run Derby” and “spice up the event amid declining ratings,” but players disliked the physical toll—reportedly feeling “pressure to swing” even with only “one timeout,” while the timer also increased scrutiny on pitchers because they couldn’t “miss the heart of the plate too often.”
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The semifinal matchups won’t just be “head-to-head”: the bracket is seeded so that “the No. 1 seed vs. No. 4, and No. 2 against No. 3,” with the top seed defined by first-round results.
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The 2026 Derby’s defending champion is identified as Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, and MLB had not yet announced participants for the event at the time of reporting.
MLB is scrapping its timed Home Run Derby format and returning to a swing-based system for the first time since 2014, according to The Athletic. Starting at the 2026 Derby on July 13 in Philadelphia, hitters will get a fixed number of swings instead of racing a clock — the biggest rule change to the event in over a decade.
The change comes as Netflix takes over as the exclusive broadcaster of the Derby under a new three-year deal with MLB, Yahoo Sports reported. The 2026 event is set for Citizens Bank Park, with the All-Star Game following the next day on July 14.
How the New Swing-Based Format Actually Works
Under the new rules, each of the eight hitters gets 20 swings in the first round, according to ClutchPoints. The top four totals advance. The semifinal and final rounds each give hitters 15 swings. One key twist: a round cannot end on a home run. If a player homers on their last scheduled swing, they keep swinging until they hit a non-home run — what the rules call an "out."
Ties are handled differently depending on the round. In Round 1, the player with the longest home run wins the tiebreaker. In the semifinal and final, each tied player gets three more swings, RealGM reported. The bracket is seeded by Round 1 results: No. 1 faces No. 4, and No. 2 faces No. 3.
Players and Netflix Both Pushed for the Clock to Go
The timed format, introduced in 2015, was meant to speed things up and boost ratings. But players hated the physical toll it created. Under the clock, hitters felt pressure to swing at nearly every pitch. High-profile sluggers noted serious mid-season fatigue after competing, according to Head Topics.
Netflix also played a role in the switch. The broadcaster "sought feedback from both the league and the players on ways to improve the event," The Athletic reported. One key complaint from viewers: the next pitch was already in the air before fans could watch the ball land. The new format fixes that by slowing the pace between swings.
Cal Raleigh Is the Defending Champ as Netflix Takes Over
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh is the defending Derby champion, having won the 2025 event at Truist Park in Atlanta. He defeated Junior Caminero to claim the title — and the $1 million winner's prize. His win came in the final year of the timed format, according to Yahoo Sports.
MLB has not yet announced the eight participants for the 2026 Derby. The Netflix deal covering 2026 through 2028 is valued at roughly $225 to $250 million per year, ClutchPoints reported. All Derby participants earn at least $150,000, with the runner-up taking home $500,000.
What the Format Change Could Mean Going Forward
Analysts say the new rules strike a better balance between the old "outs" era and the bracket drama of recent years. Because the format is less physically punishing, more elite sluggers like Aaron Judge or Shohei Ohtani may be willing to enter. The timed format's strain was widely seen as a reason some stars sat out, according to Head Topics.
One potential concern: a red-hot hitter could extend a round significantly under the "keep swinging" rule, with no hard clock to stop them. That could create pacing challenges for a live streaming platform. Still, early fan reaction has been broadly positive, with many welcoming the chance to actually watch the ball land before the next swing, RealGM reported.
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