MLB All-Star Game: Orioles' Manny Machado selected to Home Run Derby

The Orioles will have a player in the Home Run Derby for the third straight year. MLB announced on Wednesday night that Manny Machado will be participating in this year's contest. Machado hit his 19th home run earlier on Wednesday, which puts him in the top 13 among major league players. He'll be the third different Oriole to represent the O's in the Derby in each of those years. Chris Davis and Adam Jones have also been in the Derby in that time.

In the new format, Machado will go head-to-head with another player in the first round and the competition will move on from there. Machado is the fourth seed - out of eight, seeded based on his home run total to date - so he'll face the Dodgers' Joc Pederson for his first matchup. Pederson has 20 home runs in 2015, so at least as far as their season totals go, it looks like an even match.

For the first time this year, the Derby will be based on home runs hit in a certain amount of time, rather than having a certain number of outs. The clock will run for five minutes, although it will stop counting for any home run hit during the final minute. Additionally, there will be extra time added for having two home runs reach 420+ feet, or for each home run of 475 feet or more. Two 420+ footers will be worth an extra minute, while any 475+ foot blasts will be good for another 30 seconds of time.

The other American Leaguers in the Derby are Albert Pujols, Prince Fielder, and Josh Donaldson. Pujols has hit 26 home runs this year, Fielder has 13, and Donaldson has 21.

The other National Leaguers in the Derby are Kris Bryant, Todd Frazier, and Anthony Rizzo. The Cubs will be the lone team with two players represented in the contest. Bryant has hit 12 home runs so far this season, while Frazier has hit 25 and Rizzo has hit 16.