Jordan Walker wins walk-off Home Run Derby, playing spoiler for Kyle Schwarber and Philly

PHILADELPHIA — In the end, a different kind of fairytale ending was written at Citizens Bank Park.

With a chorus of boos providing a background soundtrack, St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Jordan Walker topped Philadelphia Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber on a walk-off home run to win the 2026 Home Run Derby. Down to his last pitch, Walker swung and swung until he matched Schwarber’s final-round total of 11, then sent one more ball into the Philadelphia crowd to win the championship.

As Walker’s home run tally grew in the finale, the boisterous crowd tightened, hoping that, at the very least, the contest would head to a three-swing swing-off. That was not in the cards.

Walker began his evening slugging 13 first-round home runs, tied for the highest round in the contest. He needed just six to advance past last year’s runner-up, Junior Caminero, in the second round, then launched 12 in the final round for the statement win. In total, he blasted 31 home runs.

He is the first Cardinal to win the Home Run Derby.

This year’s Derby brought back the original swing-based format that made the event so endearing to fans, eschewing the time-based rule set that had been in place in some form since 2015.

Hitters were limited to 20 swings in the first round, and 15 each in the second and final rounds. Each swing counted against the total, though hitters were allowed to continue swinging if they connected for a home run on their final hack of a round, until they made an out.

Tiebreakers of distance (first round) and three swing swing-offs (second and final rounds) were in place, but neither were used.

This story will be updated.