Major League Baseball announces new Home Run Derby Format

Michael Cuddyer then of the Colorado Rockies bats during the 2013 Chevrolet Home Run Derby at Citi Field. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)

Major League Baseball has introduced a new format for the 2015 Home Run Derby in Cincinnati, Ohio.

The new format will consist of a single-elimination bracket-style for the eight sluggers, who have not yet been announced. In the past years, the derby consisted of 10 “outs” per hitter. An out was any swing that was not a homerun. However, this year outs will no longer be a factor as each hitter will be given five minutes from whenever the first pitch is thrown. The only stoppages that will occur are after each home run is hit inside the final minute.

Contestants of the Home Run Derby can also earn extra time for certain achievements such as hitting home runs certain distances. Each contestant will have the opportunity to add up to ninety seconds of bonus time per round.

In the event of a tie during the derby, a 90-second “swing off” will occur to decide a winner.

In the attempt to shorten the event even more, any round will end immediately if the second hitter surpasses his opponent’s total for that round.

Seeding for the brackets will be determined based on home run totals as of July 7.