Teoscar Hernández of the Los Angeles Dodgers emerged as the champion of the 2024 MLB Home Run Derby after a thrilling showdown with Bobby Witt Jr. of the Kansas City Royals. The epic finale took place at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, and ended with Hernández prevailing by a narrow margin of 14-13.

Hernández showcased his power-hitting abilities by smashing an impressive 14 home runs in the final round. With this remarkable accomplishment, he became the first player in Dodgers franchise history to win the event and the seventh Dominican-born player to do so.

An elated Hernández expressed his overwhelming emotions to the ESPN broadcast after the win, stating, "This is amazing, man, everything that I'm feeling right now. There's no word I can describe what I'm feeling, in front of family, in front of everybody that is here."

The championship round was filled with tension as Witt Jr., needing one more home run to force a swing-off, unleashed a deep fly ball to left-center field. The ball came agonizingly close to crossing over the wall but ultimately hit the fence, resulting in Witt Jr.'s final out.

Hernández's journey to victory encountered obstacles in the earlier rounds. In the opening round, he hammered 13 home runs, trailing behind Adolis Garcia of the Texas Rangers who hit 18. However, Hernández displayed remarkable resilience by launching six home runs during the three-out bonus period, surpassing Garcia and advancing to the next stage.

In the semifinals, Hernández faced off against Alec Bohm, the Philadelphia Phillies third baseman who had recorded a remarkable 21 home runs in the initial round. Once again, Hernández started slowly but found his rhythm, smashing 13 home runs along with an additional one in the bonus period. Bohm matched Hernández's tally but failed to hit any home runs during the three-swing bonus period, resulting in Hernández securing his spot in the final.

The new format of this year's Home Run Derby limited the number of pitches each contestant saw in every round. Participants had a maximum of 40 pitches over three minutes, or until the three-out bonus period commenced. In the final round, the time and pitches were further reduced to two minutes and 27 pitches.

With this triumph, the two-time All-Star Hernández claimed the highly coveted $1 million prize, adding another illustrious achievement to his career. The 31-year-old outfielder has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the MLB Home Run Derby, etching his name alongside the record-breaking sluggers of the sport.