Walker's 'Crazy Walk-Off' Wins Home Run Derby, First Ever for Cardinals

Jordan Walker of the St. Louis Cardinals achieved a historic victory at the 2026 MLB Home Run Derby, held at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. Walker became the first player in Cardinals franchise history to win the coveted title, staging a dramatic comeback in the finals against hometown favorite Kyle Schwarber of the Philadelphia Phillies.

This year's derby featured a modified format. Instead of a time limit, the competition used an "at-bat" system. Participants had 20 swings in the preliminary round and 15 swings in the semifinals and finals. Crucially, if a batter hit a home run on their final swing, they could continue hitting until they made an out, allowing for potential dramatic comebacks.

In the first round, both Red Sox's Willson Contreras and Walker hit 13 home runs, while Rays' Junior Caminero hit 12, and Schwarber hit 10, advancing all four sluggers to the semifinals. Schwarber narrowly defeated Contreras 9-8 in their semifinal matchup. In the other semifinal, Walker bested Caminero with 6 home runs to Caminero's 5.

The final round saw Schwarber hit an impressive 11 home runs. Walker, trailing for much of his turn, had hit 8 home runs by his 14th swing. However, he then hit a home run on his final swing, extending his at-bats. He capitalized on this opportunity, launching three more consecutive home runs to secure a stunning 12-11 victory and the championship.