ARLINGTON, Texas -- Each summer, Major League Baseball strives to fill out the eight-man Home Run Derby field with as much star power as possible. Depending on which sluggers volunteer, some collections shine brighter than others. In recent years, many superstars have participated once to check the box or avoided the event entirely. But the league has been able to rely on one constant for the past half-decade: New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso.
Alonso is unlike any of his star peers. The slugger embraces the Home Run Derby with a spirited polar bear hug.