DETROIT — When Bryce Harper first weighed competing in the Home Run Derby, he felt disinterest. He’d already won the event once. He did not like that the event no longer had a clock. His father, who threw to him when he won in 2018, would not be available.“Then once I thought about it more and more,” Harper said, “knowing the fans want me to do it, my kids are going to be able to remember it — things like that sparked my interest a little bit more.”So Harper will compete in the Derby for the first time since 2018, when he took down future teammate Kyle Schwarber 19-18 in the final round. There could be a rematch this year, as Schwarber announced Friday he also will participate. It is the first time since 2018 that teammates have competed in the event. The league’s home run leader and the franchise’s longtime star competing against each other will certainly make for an electric night in South Philly on Monday.The pair joked about competing against each other here and there, Schwarber said, before they both decided to play.“Having a rematch of ’18 would be pretty cool to see,” Schwarber said Friday. “I think it would be fun for everyone — not just Philly, but the game and the people watching. But there’s a really good field of players in it, so (we’ve) got to see what happens.”
Why Phillies’ Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber decided to compete in the Home Run Derby
"Knowing the fans want me to do it, my kids are going to be able to remember it" led Harper to enter for the first time since 2018.












