Brent Rooker robbed? Cal Raleigh's home run derby win sparks row. Mariners star takes home massive prize money

Cal Raleigh won the 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday, living up to the pre-event odds

Updated on: Jul 15, 2025, 09:07:06 IST

By Yash Nitish Bajaj

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Cal Raleigh won the 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby on Monday, living up to the pre-event odds. The 28-year-old hit 17 homers at Truist Park in Atlanta to bag $1 million and a custom Derby chain. He beat AL slugger Brent Rooker by an inch, quite literally. However, the win has sparked controversy about the event's tiebreaker rules.

Cal Raleigh #29 of the Seattle Mariners receives the championship belt from professional wrestler Cody Rhodes after winning the Home Run Derby (Getty Images via AFP)

The Controversy: Rooker Robbed?

First-Round Tie: Raleigh and Rooker tied with 17 home runs in the first round, both with a longest homer of 471 feet. MLB’s tiebreaker rule for the first round uses the longest home run distance, avoiding a swing-off. Statcast measurements showed Raleigh’s longest homer at 470.61 feet and Rooker’s at 470.53 feet—a difference of 0.08 feet (less than an inch). The Mariners' star advanced to the semifinals, later defeating Oneil Cruz (19-13) and Caminero.

Rooker expressed frustration, telling the San Francisco Chronicle, “If they have it to the decimal point, they should display that during the Derby."

“Brent Rooker just got eliminated in favor of Cal Raleigh because some imaginary ball tracker said Cal hit a ball less than an inch further,” one fan said on X, platform formerly known as Twitter.

“Brent Rooker being robbed just ruined the Home Run Derby for me cmon man that’s bullshit,” another one added.

“Brent Rooker got sc****d. Rob Manfred is the worst commissioner in sports,” a third fan tweeted.

Cal Raleigh’s Victory and Prize Money

Raleigh, with an MLB-leading 38 HRs in 2025, became the second Mariner to win after Ken Griffey Jr. (1994, 1998, 1999). His father, Todd Raleigh, pitched, and his brother, Todd Jr., caught, making it a family affair. The 28-year-old's switch-hitting (10 lefty, 7 righty in round one) was a first for a Derby champion.

Raleigh won $1 million and a custom Derby chain for his show on Monday.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Yash Nitish Bajaj
Yash Bajaj is a Chief Content Producer with a strong foundation in US coverage, digital strategy, and audience-focused storytelling. As part of the US Desk at Hindustan Times, he covers a wide range of topics - from American politics to sports (NFL, NBA, derbies, MLB and more). Before joining Hindustan Times, Yash served as Deputy News Editor at Times Now, where he oversaw international coverage and led a team of six. In this role, he significantly expanded global traffic through strategic planning, SEO-driven content execution, and meticulous trend tracking across platforms. He is experienced in managing high-pressure breaking-news shifts, coordinating live coverage, and building newsroom systems that improve speed, accuracy, and reach. Prior to Times Now, Yash held a position at Opoyi, where he headed the Sports and US news team. He developed broad editorial strategies, guided reporters across multiple beats, and played a key role in recruiting and training new talent. His responsibilities also extended to social media management and experimenting with innovative content formats. A passionate NFL fan, Yash is a die-hard supporter of the Cincinnati Bengals and has followed Joe Burrow closely since his college days at LSU. Whether breaking down top players' latest performance, analyzing team performances, or tracking roster moves, he brings the same dedication and sharp storytelling to his sports coverage as he does to American politics and breaking news. When he’s not writing, Yash can often be found watching games or debating the latest NFL storylines with fellow fans. Yash holds a Bachelor of Mass Media (Journalism) from HR College, Mumbai University. His interests extend well beyond the newsroom: he is an enthusiastic explorer of AI tools, a movie buff with an ever-growing watchlist, and someone who enjoys unraveling conspiracy theories for fun.Read More

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