MLB changes Home Run Derby format and rules

Major League Baseball has thrown another curveball with its Home Run Derby format.

The league announced changes to the All-Star staple on Monday, tinkering with the tournament system it first implemented in 2015. The main tweaks will limit the number of pitches each hitter can face in each round and reconfigure the opening round of the event.

Streaming 24/7: Watch NBC 5 local news and weather for free wherever you are

In the first round and the semifinals, each hitter will either get 40 pitches or spend three minutes at the plate -- whichever occurs first. Those numbers will shrink to 27 pitches and two minutes for the final round. Hitters will also get bonus pitches until they hit into three outs during the period, and a fourth out is given if the batter hits at least one home run that travels at least 425 feet during the period.

The previous Home Run Derby format featured a time limit but did not restrict the number of pitches a contestant could face.

Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning. Sign up for NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.

The other major change coming to the derby involves the opening round. Instead of head-to-head quarterfinal matchups, all eight contestants will compete against one another in the first round with the top four finishers moving on.

From there, batters will square off in head-to-head semifinals before the last two players standing square off in the final round for the Home Run Derby crown. Seeding for the semifinals will be determined by first-round scores.

If there is a tie with multiple players hitting the same number of homers in the first round, the tiebreaker will go to the player who hit the longest home run during the round. Ties in the semifinals and finals will be broken with a 60-second swing-off. If a tie remains after the swing-off, the batters will engage in successive three-swing swing-offs until a winner is determined.