MLB All-Star Home Run Derby 2026: Lessons for Schwarber, Harper

Wherever Bryce Harper plays away from home, he noted in a conversation in Cincinnati last week, he gets booed. "The boos are very loud where I go," he said, through a wry smile.

"And then, at home, you get cheered. And you know, it's awesome."

He knows from experience that the cheers that he and Kyle Schwarber will get Monday night, as the hometown guys in the 2026 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park, will be thunderous.

"It's the loudest place I've ever been in my life," he said, recalling the moments when the sound of the Philly fans turned into a force of its own. "For big moments, for curtain calls," he said. "Our fans show up. They understand what it's like."

Schwarber added, "It'll be amazing. From the previous Derbys I've done, I've been able to watch and you see the home guy kind of step out there and you see how much the crowd gets behind them."

Harper served as host slugger in Derby in his home park before, winning it in Washington, D.C., in 2018, when he was with the Nationals -- beating, among others, a Cubs slugger named Kyle Schwarber. Harper and Schwarber haven't spoken much about doing the Derby together this year. Just a few jokes here and there, Schwarber said. Harper assumes that the two Phillies will start on opposite sides of the bracket, to enhance the possibility of a Phillie vs. Phillie grand finale.

Harper said, "If I don't do it" -- win it -- "I obviously want Schwarbs to win it, to take it home."

Before the two Phillies superstars take the stage in Philly, we asked those who have taken on the pressure of the Home Run Derby in their own home ballparks for their best -- and worst -- stories of the experience, along with their advice for Harper and Schwarber.

Trevor Story: 'A way to represent our fans and do them proud'

(Reached semifinals in 2021 Derby in Denver)

I thought it was cool to do it, and since it was in Coors [Field], I wanted to find a way to honor some of the guys who came before me. I wore a Vinny Castilla jersey out, because he was someone who had helped me when I was coming up. That was a cool moment. Then, during my round, Nolan [Arenado] called a timeout and he came out and was pumping up the crowd -- that was pretty cool.

Those guys [Harper and Schwarber] are used to the big stage, and they both feed off their fans really well. Yeah, embrace it. Use the energy. You're certainly going to get more love and more attention being the hometown guy. I took it as a way to represent our fans and do them proud.

Todd Frazier: 'We foreshadowed it, and it all came true'

(Won 2015 Derby in Cincinnati)

It was a family affair, first and foremost. Not only was I getting to do the Derby in my home park, but having my brother Charlie there to do it with me was awesome. He and I had actually practiced it a few times in the offseason, knowing that it was an All-Star year in Cincinnati and that I had a chance to be in the Derby. We'd be working at the All-Star Sports Academy in Toms River [New Jersey] in the winter before that Derby, and we'd say: "Hey, four minutes, let's go." We foreshadowed it, and it all came true.

It felt like a second home during the Derby -- I had my brother there, my family, the crowd pumping me up. I could hear the crowd reacting to where I hit the ball -- the oohs and aahs telling me how close I was to hitting it out. I went last in each round. The crowd definitely plays a factor. And I was yelling at my brother to throw the ball faster.

After it was over, we partied until, like, 4 o'clock in the morning, before I had to get up and do All-Star events; with the game being in Cincinnati, I was the ambassador. I was drained, and I needed coffee like five times over. The actual All-Star Game was a blur to me.

It's hard for me to give advice for this year's Derby, because the format will be different than what I had. I would just say: Let the crowd raise your level of performance, and enjoy it as much as possible.

David Wright: 'The last thing you want to do is lay an egg'

(Five homers in 2013 Derby in New York)

For me, it was my second time doing the Derby, and you understand in your second time around that it's not the end of the world [if you don't thrive]. You just don't want to embarrass yourself. The last thing you want to do is lay an egg.

I had jitters the first time I did it, in Pittsburgh, but when you're doing it in your home park, you have jitters for a different reason. A hundred times more. You want to put on a show for the home crowd.

I had Dave Racaniello, our bullpen catcher and my best friend, throwing to me, and I remember sitting and waiting for my turn. Time was not moving, and I was trying to get rid of my butterflies. My expectations might've been different than other players.

I did not want to embarrass myself. I did not want to lay an egg. And I did not want to swing and miss.

I picked Bryce for my team back in 2013, and he is aging like fine wine. He won't have any problem. And Schwarber doesn't need any advice from me. Don't leave that porch in right field.

Albert Pujols: 'You don't know if that's gonna be your last one'

(Reached Round 2 in 2009 Derby in St. Louis)

I remember when we did it in St. Louis, we had "Sunday Night Baseball" the night before, and we got in real late because we had a rain delay in Chicago, and it was a short flight, but we got in like 2:30 or 3 o'clock in the morning by the time I got to my house. Then I had to wake up early on Monday for media and for this and that. But it's an opportunity that you get to enjoy, you know, anytime you go to an All-Star Game.

An All-Star Game, an All-Star selection, the Derby, is an opportunity from the fans to appreciate that first half of the season that you had. I know a lot of players are like, well, it gets old. For me, it didn't. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed everything. This is what I tell guys: You don't know if that's gonna be your last one. And I remember Mike Piazza, you know, he used to say that.

The All-Star Game is fun, and then you're competing against the best players in the game, you know? For two or three days, you're getting together with guys that you play against each other and guys that you want to beat every day. But right there, you're in one room with so many superstars. And then in three days after the All-Star Game, you're back at it, battling to get a spot in the playoffs.

That one was really special for me in 2009, because it was in St. Louis, and I was able to, to host, and I did the Home Run Derby as well there, and I had a great time with it. [My advice to other hometown players in the Derby:] Just enjoy it. Enjoy it -- really. Make sure you enjoy it, because there's a lot that comes with it.

Bret Boone: 'I didn't want to embarrass myself'

(Three homers in 2001 Derby in Seattle)

Nowadays, the Derby is more of an art form. Guys practice doing it, in a way they didn't in the past. I did it twice, and it was magical.

I had John McLaren, who was our bench coach, and he was the guy who threw normal batting practice to me. I was trying to hang with the Big Boys in the Derby. All I wanted to do was to make a good showing; I didn't want to embarrass myself. I did not have a thought about actually winning it.

I've never received a standing ovation like I did at the Derby. I had received ovations before, like when you get introduced on Opening Day or before a playoff game. In those instances, you're part of the team and you're introduced with teammates. But in the Derby, you're introduced by yourself and that was the first time I was ever affected. It was overwhelming, really cool. I had never heard fans cheering that loud for me. I didn't expect that.

You're in this big open space, without the cage, and they had this camera in front of us [at the plate] -- and I remember thinking, "Don't hit the camera." I hit one in the upper deck and then I was OK. I hit two more. I ended up tying Sammy Sosa, and the way they broke ties in those days, the player who had more home runs in the first half moved on.

I would tell anyone doing the Derby in their home park: Be prepared for how loud the crowd is cheering for you. That is a moment they are truly there cheering for you.

Chipper Jones: 'Probably should've been Andruw Jones!'

(Two homers in 2000 Derby in Atlanta)

The Derby is hard, but especially at home. There's a lot of pressure at home -- especially when you hit only two in your home park. You've got to find someone who throws consistent, firm strikes.

I feel like every home team should have a representative in the Derby, someone for the home fans to get behind. Unfortunately for me, that probably should've been Andruw Jones!

Nomar Garciaparra: 'I was like, "Yeah! I got this!"'

(Two homers in 1999 Derby in Boston)

I think you feel some pressure, for sure. There's nothing better than being an All-Star in your home city, to be able to make the team in your home city. And I was very lucky to be able to do that, first and foremost. So grateful to the fans. And the guy who's on the All-Star team always gets the biggest ovation. So you already feel that, and then you're on the stage for the Home Run Derby, and then you hear the crowd and how much they're into it, the cheers and everything. So it is definitely special, and you definitely feel it. I was definitely lucky to participate in that. That was pretty neat.

That's what it was [hitting just two home runs], OK cool. I know the very first [swing], though, I hit a bomb. I remember that, I was like, "Yeah! I got this!" I was going off in batting practice, too. I was hitting bombs.

Oh, it's hard. I tell you, nerves, absolutely. There is no question you're nervous. It's a different feel. The moment they pull that batting cage back, it is different. The other part that's hard -- I wish I had done the format where it's a speed round, where you just go, because, like I said, during batting practice, I hit eight, nine in a row. You can do that. But you can't do that there. You have to hit, you have to watch, you have to wait. Hit, watch, wait. Hit. And you have so many outs. So that's different.

I would just say [to Schwarber and Harper], "Soak it in," because it's special being able to do it at home. It really is. Everyone that goes out, it's a different cheer. You'll hear it.

Jim Thome: 'Unfortunately, it wasn't my best one'

(Zero homers in 1997 Derby in Cleveland)

I remember being a late addition and the excitement and thrill of it being in Cleveland. I had never done a Home Run Derby. To be asked to do it at home, it felt so great.

Being my first one, I remember the adrenaline and just the unknown of what I was doing. What was it going to be? You want to do so well for the home crowd.

Unfortunately, it wasn't my best one, but that experience helped me in 1998 in Denver. It was so much fun. The other players were very supportive. Even if you played against him, if you're in the same league, they're rooting for you. No matter if you did well or not, players were really supportive. I was a little disappointed but still appreciative of being invited.

-- with ESPN'sAlden Gonzalez andJesse Rogersbr/]