Home Run Derby: The Home Run Derby is built for chaos, longshots, and raw power—so we are diving in with a swing-for-the-fences mindset. No chalk, just value. James Wood is the centerpiece of our card, and he checks every box. Size, strength, and the perfect setup in Atlanta make him impossible to ignore.
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Best Home Run Derby Bets, July 14
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Best 2025 Home Run Derby Bet
How will the young star perform in the Home Run Derby?
Best Bet: James Wood Furthest Home Run Hit (+500) odds via BetOnline
One of the biggest and baddest hitters in this entire event is James Wood—standing 6’7″ and weighing 234 pounds of pure muscle. This is a guy who creates nothing but hard contact. The Nationals’ young star is the real deal.
Wood’s furthest home run traveled 451 feet. His average home run distance is 411 feet, which ranks 15th in the majors, according to Baseball Savant. That 411-foot average is the longest among all Home Run Derby participants. His exit velocity is elite as well, with a max of 117.9 mph., fifth-highest in baseball—just behind Pirates star and fellow Derby slugger O’Neil Cruz.
The more you dig into this event, the more it becomes clear that my handicap is about size and odds. Getting 5/1 for one of the sport’s largest and most powerful athletes to hit the furthest ball? Yes, I will be all over that.
Best Home Run Derby Winner Bet
How many home runs will James Wood hit in the Derby?
Best Bet: James Wood To Win Home Run Derby (+400) odds via BetOnline
Let us have some fun.
I do not lay chalk in this event—I find it foolish. Time and time again, we have seen the guy with the shortest odds to win the Derby fall flat. Shohei Ohtani was a heavy favorite in 2022 and fell in the first round. The value lies in loading up on longshots (on my card: Rooker and Caminero) and then grabbing the most realistic candidate.
James Wood makes the most sense to win this whole thing for a few key reasons. He has the build to go the distance. He swings one of the most powerful bats in the game, and he is a left-handed hitter with a short porch to work with at Truist Field. The right field line is just 325 feet with a low wall—that is a massive advantage for all left-handed hitters.
Another edge? The man throwing to Mr. Wood is Ricky Gutierrez, who has been throwing him batting practice all season. This event is just a glorified BP session. Gutierrez knows Wood’s swing better than anyone. He is not a friend or family member. This is a pro, and possibly the perfect arm for Wood in this setting.
I have fully sold myself on Wood. I do not see it going any other way.
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