ATLANTA (AP) — Ronald Acuña Jr. will not participate in the Home Run Derby, and on Friday he was replaced by his Atlanta teammate Matt Olson, who had also been selected to the All-Star Game.
Acuña is a starting National League outfielder, and he’s still expected to be active in the All-Star Game at his home ballpark. Olson is a bench infielder.
In place of the Venezuelan Acuña, Olson will try to become the first Braves player to win the Home Run Derby on Monday night. He could become the fourth home-run champion to win on home soil.
The All-Star Game will be played Tuesday night.
Olson previously competed in the Derby in 2021, when he was with the Athletics. He was eliminated in the first round.
The 31-year-old arrived at the weekend with 17 homers this season.
The other participants scheduled are Brent Rooker, the Athletics’ first entrant since Olson, along with Minnesota’s Byron Buxton, Dominican Junior Caminero of Tampa Bay, Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the Yankees, Dominican Oneil Cruz of Pittsburgh, Cal Raleigh of Seattle, and James Wood of Washington.
