Last Updated on July 11, 2016 5:13 am by Brad Burns
Trumbo threatens to school upstart Seager
Two relative newbies to the Home Run Derby scene will help kick off tonight’s festivities at Petco Park. What’s the likelihood that Corey Seager upsets the majors’ current master of the long ball, Mark Trumbo?
According to oddsmakers, don’t jump the gun. Online sports book Bovada.lv lists the Baltimore slugger as an overwhelming favorite in his first-round matchup against Los Angeles’ hotshot shortstop. Seager, the No. 8 seed, enters as a +160 underdog.
Trumbo previously participated in this event in 2012. At that point, however, the California native was hardly a household name. Now the first-year Oriole leads the bigs with 26 homers. When Trumbo barrels up, the rawhide tends to travel a long way, too.
Conversely, former uber-prospect Seager isn’t regarded as a classic bomber; he topped many a watch list due to an array of tools. But power obviously runs in the family (older brother Kyle boasts 18 taters for the Mariners), and one of the Dodgers’ cornerstones up the middle continues to hone his stroke. After clearing the fence just twice in April, Seager notched seven clouts in May and eight in June.
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Of course, the spectacle of it all could have an adverse effect on the first-timer. The same thing happened to Seager’s teammate, Joc Pederson, in last July’s competition. Trumbo simply belongs here, and he’ll display exactly why with a show-stopping performance.
HOME RUN DERBY FIRST-ROUND MATCHUP: MARK TRUMBO -200