With Major League Baseball rapidly approaching next week's All-Star Game festivities in Minnesota, two of its elite sluggers will not be appearing in the 2014 Home Run Derby as Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout and Detroit Tigers first baseman Miguel Cabrera will not be participating in the long ball exhibition.
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ESPN reports that Trout announced Sunday that he prefers to watch the contest from the sidelines while Cabrera told The Detroit News that he will also be a spectator next Monday night at Target Field.
"I'm going to enjoy watching," Cabrera told the affiliate. "I've got enough issues."
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Cabrera, who has slugged 14 homers this season, was asked by Toronto Blue Jays slugger and American League Home Run Derby captain Jose Bautista (17 homers) to join the AL field -- which will consist of five hitters in the MLB's new revamped format -- but the former Triple Crown winner declined the invitation due to fear it would affect his swing.
While Cabrera and Trout will not be attending for the AL., Miami Marlins slugger Giancarlo Stanton announced that he was hoping to be an active participant in the Derby after arthroscopic knee surgery kept him out of the event in 2012, and he has since been confirmed for the contest.
"I was unfortunate in 2012. I was, what, half a day from being in one? So it would be fun to get my second chance at it," said Stanton, who leads the NL and ranks fifth overall in the MLB with 21 homers.
While the AL side will be without Trout and Cabrera, defending champion Yoenis Cespedes of the Athletics hopes to return after putting on a clinic at Citi Field in 2013 and winning the contest.
"I want to," Cespedes told the San Francisco Chronicle a couple of weeks ago. "It's my choice."
Cespedes has 14 dingers on the season and will hope to defend his crown at Target Field.
The Home Run Derby takes place next Monday, July 14 on the eve of the 2014 All-Star Game from Target Field in Minnesota.
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