Mexico City HRDX tickets now on sale
Michael Clair
@michaelsclairFour teams entered -- the Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers and Cubs -- and now, it all comes down to this: FTX Home Run Derby X's final event of the season at Campo Marte in Mexico City on Oct. 15. The Yankees won the first HRDX event, Seoul is coming up on Sept. 17 and then it all wraps up in Mexico. Whoever is at the top of the standings when the home runs stop flying will be named the overall HRDX champion.
Already, we've seen walk-off home runs, diving catches and a remarkable finish between two heated rivals that led to an incredible champagne celebration -- and that was just the first contest. One can only imagine the intensity when we reach the finals.
The event will be a homecoming for Wild Card Daniel Corral, the gymnast who has represented Mexico in multiple Olympic Games and is playing baseball for the very first time -- putting up an impressive eight points to lead all Wild Cards in London. It should mean a lot to Adri¨˘n Gonz¨˘lez as well, who played for Team Mexico in his youth, at the World Baseball Classic, the Caribbean Series and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
"I call it like the grand slam of representing Mexico -- representing Mexico as a kid, the World Baseball Classic, Caribbean Series and the Olympics," Gonz¨˘lez told MLB.com. "I think those are the only four ways you can represent your country in baseball. Having done that, it's pretty special."
Superstar Stefania Aradillas, who played for the Mexican softball team at the 2020 Olympics, will also be joining the Yankees alongside Corral and MLB Legend Nick Swisher for the final event.
Of course, HRDX is not just baseball as the event is more like an all-day festival where baseball is just part of the attraction. More information will soon be released, including which musical acts will perform -- Psy is headlining the Seoul event -- what food vendors will be serving up their goods, and which players from Mexico's development system will join the teams, but here are the rosters as they currently stand for the event.?
Boston Red Sox
Jonny Gomes, MLB Legend
Paige Halstead, Superstar
Liv Cooke, Wild Card
Chicago Cubs
Geo Soto, MLB Legend
Alex Hugo, Superstar
Spencer Owen, Wild Card
Los Angeles Dodgers
Adri¨˘n Gonz¨˘lez, MLB Legend
Ashton Lansdell, Superstar
Yoongy Kwak, Wild Card
New York Yankees
Nick Swisher, MLB Legend
Stefania Aradillas, Superstar
Daniel Corral, Wild Card