Jordan Walker stunned a hostile Philadelphia crowd on Monday after winning the 2026 Home Run Derby at Citizens Bank Park with a final-round surge that saw him homer on his last six swings to overtake hometown favourite Kyle Schwarber. The 24-year-old St Louis Cardinals slugger finished with 12 home runs in the final, becoming the first Cardinal to claim the Derby crown and denying Schwarber, MLB's current home-run leader, in front of his fans.
The night felt, at times, more like a Philadelphia pep rally than a neutral All-Star showcase. Local stars Schwarber and Bryce Harper were cheered from the moment they stepped into the batter's box. Almost everyone else, including Walker, was met with the full-throated displeasure of a fanbase that rarely bothers to hide what it thinks. By the time the fireworks went off and Walker raised his arms in victory, many of those same fans were already filing for the exits.
