The All-Star Game Home Run Derby will be without some stars this year, as Bryce Harper, Nelson Cruz and Giancarlo Stanton all will miss the event, with Harper and Cruz declining to participate and Stanton out with an injury for the Marlins.
Cruz announced over the weekend that he will not be participating in the event and CSN Washington reports that Harper will sit out as well. According to Mark Zuckerman, Harper is not taking part in the event, as his father is not "fully healed" yet from rotator cuff surgery. Harper said that "it's a huge issue" if his father can't throw to him and that is why he declined the invitation to participate.
Harper previously took part in the Home Run Derby in 2013 and finished second to Yoenis Cespedes and in that event he had his father throwing to him. Harper was the top voted player for the All-Star game with 13,864,950 ballots and he is having a career season. Harper is hitting .374 this season with 25 home runs and 60 RBIs and there are still games to go ahead of the break.
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Nelson Cruz also declined to participate and he said to the Seattle Times that ""I have to think about my teammates and my team ... if I go there it can wear me out for two or three days after." Cruz is having a strong season after leading the MLB in home runs last year, as he has 21 home runs and 50 RBIs with a .304 batting average in 80 games.