Thursday BP: Joc Pederson declines Home Run Derby invite

Good morning, baseball fans!

It’s been a long time since a San Francisco Giants player appeared in the Home Run Derby. The last Giants player to do so was Barry Bonds in 2004. Unfortunately, despite having a player invited, it will still be at least another year for the Giants.

Joc Pederson revealed that he received an invitation to participate in this year’s Home Run Derby, but he declined. Which makes sense, it takes a huge toll on players physically, with Pederson citing neck/back issues he’s been dealing with, and telling media that after he participated in the 2019 event, he couldn’t move for 24-48 hours afterwards.

So, while it would be fun to have a Giants player to root for in the derby, I’d rather have an uninjured Pederson to root for for the remainder of the season. There’s always next year though.

What time do the Giants play today?

The Giants kick off a four-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers tonight at 6:45 p.m. PT.