Philadelphia was prepared to crown Kyle Schwarber as the homecoming king of the Home Run Derby, but the St. Louis Cardinals slugger Jordan Walker had other plans. In a display of power that silenced a crowd of 43,000 at Citizens Bank Park, Walker managed to pull the rug out from under the hometown favorite on Monday, July 13.
By winning the event, Walker became the first Cardinal to ever claim the title, succeeding where future Hall of Famer Albert Pujols had failed in three previous attempts.
The final round set the stage for a dramatic showdown. Schwarber, who has hit 88 home runs since the start of the 2025 season—the most in the major leagues—posted a total of 11 home runs. Walker, currently enjoying a breakthrough season, faced a daunting task. He needed to capitalize on his final swing, and then two more after that, just to tie Schwarber’s mark.
Instead, the Cardinals outfielder delivered four consecutive home runs to win the competition outright, finishing with five homers in his final six swings.
The atmosphere was intensely partisan, with the Philadelphia crowd roaring for Schwarber and Bryce Harper, who had been announced last to great fanfare. Harper, however, was eliminated in the first round, leaving Schwarber to carry the weight of home-field expectations. Walker noted that the environment was brutal, yet he maintained an electric smile throughout the pressure-filled moments.
He admitted that he could not hold any animosity toward the fans, acknowledging that their behavior was simply a reflection of their love for their own players.
“My first thought was, Philly’s brutal,” Walker said. “I think it’s pretty special because they love all their players. That’s what you want from your home crowd. I’d never heard people cheer so loud for Schwarber and Harper. Those guys did their thing. I can’t hate ‘em. I just gotta play the game.”
Walker’s performance was defined by raw power, with every home run in the final round traveling between 407 and 452 feet. Schwarber was impressed by the quality of the hits, contrasting them with his own approach. “He was hitting some laser beams. I’m hitting these little fly balls out, and he’s hitting laser beams,” Schwarber said.
The Phillies star noted that he never felt the victory was secure, adding, “You get to that last ball. It was three to tie, and he went four to win. You tip your hat to him.”
The event itself was subject to a format change, replacing the traditional clock with a limited number of swings. While this change had some benefits, it also drew criticism for draining the tension from the competition, as the outcome of many rounds became predictable early on.
The broadcast, handled by a streaming service, also faced scrutiny for its pregame segments featuring Will Ferrell and Luke Wilson, which some viewed as a mix of humor and schlock.
Had both Phillies stars been eliminated in the semifinals, the event risked becoming a disaster, but the final duel between Walker and Schwarber provided the necessary spice to keep the crowd engaged.
For Walker, the experience was about maintaining a positive mindset. “I think I just had fun, no matter what. Every round I said, have a good time,” he said. “As a kid growing up, my favorite thing to do is hitting home runs. There’s a competition dedicated to it.”
