BREAKING: Without Ohtani, the Derby Is Just a “Secondary” Title? – Cal Raleigh Wins in an Empty Field

Cal Raleigh made history at the 2025 Home Run Derby. But amid the bright lights and cheers, the most notable thing was a name that didn’t appear on stage: Shohei Ohtani

With MLB’s brightest star absent, the question is:

“Is this year’s crown really worth it?”

The winner… in a tournament that’s no longer at its peak?

Cal Raleigh had an undeniably great night.

He hit 18 home runs in the final round, earning an impressive victory over Junior Caminero.

But the irony is: none of Raleigh’s rivals have the global reach of Ohtani.

No Pete Alonso.

No Juan Soto.

And especially, no Shohei.

“You can win the whole thing… but if the boss isn’t there, are you really number one?”

A comment from The Athletic quipped.

“Ohtani is avoiding the Derby because he’s afraid of losing”? Or because… he has nothing left to prove?

Shohei Ohtani isn’t injured. He’s still playing regularly for the Dodgers, still hitting home runs of nearly 500 feet this season.
So why the absence?

The official explanation from his agent:

“Ohtani wants to focus on the second half of the season, and avoid burnout during the All-Star Break.”

But the online community gave another reason:

“After the slip in the 2021 Derby, Ohtani knew that if he lost again – his ‘unrivaled’ image could be shaken.”

One title, two opinions
For Mariners fans, Raleigh is a new icon: a muscular batsman, a quiet but effective warrior.

For neutral fans, this victory lacked symbolism – because it lacked the epic battle that everyone was waiting for: Raleigh vs Ohtani.

“It was like watching Avengers but without Iron Man.”

– A fan page described on TikTok.

So did Raleigh deserve to win?

Yes.
He was the only one to make it through each round and be in top form.

But the feeling of regret is unavoidable.

The most prestigious award of this year’s All-Star Week…

still lacked a character that made every hit have double the weight.

Conclusion:
“You can win the stage…
But if you can’t beat the person the world is watching – is the stage still the center?”