Midway through his first round matchup against Kyle Schwarber during Monday’s Home Run Derby at Dodger Stadium, a field full of Major League All-Stars began crowding around 42-year-old Albert Pujols during a time out.
Pujols was reeling, or so it looked, with one home run in the first 56 seconds of his at-bat. It sure seemed like MLB’s finest were getting ready to send off one of their own. Then the darnedest thing happened. Pujols start planting balls over the fence in the outfield. Again. And again. And before he knew it, he was in overtime with Schwarber, the No. 1 overall seed, tied at 13 dingers apiece.
RE5PECT.
Everybody loves Albert. #HRDerby pic.twitter.com/qTNRZuZRAs
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2022
A one-minute swing-off yielded seven more homers as Pujols sent Schwarber home shockingly early.
Albert was a +260 underdog. Schwarber was a -400 favorite. Baseball fans called the matchup a bye for the Phillies slugger.
Oops.
Bettors couldn’t believe it.
Nothing but love!
Albert Pujols is moving on! #HRDerby pic.twitter.com/kUf5hxa0CM
— MLB (@MLB) July 19, 2022
18% of bets (2nd most) and 20% of money (3rd most) were on Schwarber to win the #HRDerby at @BetMGM.
— John Ewing 🦁 (@johnewing) July 19, 2022
Correctly guessed the winner of each 1RD matchup for the Derby 🔥
(IG: m_cerrachio/@fdsportsbook) pic.twitter.com/B2MhuWLGrw
— br_betting (@br_betting) July 19, 2022
A bettor in Nevada just placed $54,000 on Kyle Schwarber (-360) to win his RD1 matchup of the Home Run Derby 🆚 Albert Pujols
Potential Win: $15,000 😎 pic.twitter.com/KYRnrEbqjp
— Caesars Sportsbook (@CaesarsSports) July 18, 2022
Everyone who had Kyle Schwarber tonight 😓 pic.twitter.com/n1HXy2SZez
— Action Network (@ActionNetworkHQ) July 19, 2022
Albert Pujols has advanced out of the 1st round in all five of his Home Run Derby appearances.
He is the only player to advance out of the 1st round five times.
Pujols' 20 home runs are the most he has hit in a single round of his Home Run Derby career. pic.twitter.com/EXhiBSvSRI
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) July 19, 2022
Bad Bunny showing love to Albert Pujols ❤️ @BRWalkoff
(via @Sportsnet)pic.twitter.com/FiSbs76p6x
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) July 19, 2022
Schwarber should have to Venmo a lot of people a lot of money
— Nick Kostos (@TheKostos) July 19, 2022
For those live betting at home, Schwarber was -600 after Pujols round
— Collin Wilson (@_Collin1) July 19, 2022
The 42-year-old is now in sudden death with the NL HR leader. https://t.co/DgBwyxGVVl
— Ariel Epstein (@ArielEpstein) July 19, 2022
Pujols lost in the second round to Juan Soto (the eventual Derby champ at +470), but that won’t be remembered as much as his upset of Schwarber. What a moment for the future Hall of Famer.
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