What Is MLBx? MLB's 3-on-3 Baseball Format Explained

MLBx is Major League Baseball's 3-on-3 baseball game: a co-ed, three-inning contest that takes about 30 minutes, where teams score points for home runs on offense and for catches on defense. Its official name is "MLBx: All-Star 3-on-3 Presented by Ito En," and it debuted on July 12, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia during MLB All-Star Week, replacing the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.

Each MLBx team has three players: a former MLB star, a player from the Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) and a celebrity. Four teams played a knockout bracket, and Team Victorino won the first MLBx final, beating Team Howard 48-39.

MLBx rules: how MLB's 3-on-3 game works

MLBx keeps the parts of baseball that produce highlights, home runs and catches, and strips out the rest. According to MLB's MLBx page and pre-event coverage, the core rules are:

• Three players per side. Teams are co-ed, mixing an MLB legend, an AUSL softball player and a celebrity.
• Three innings, about 30 minutes. A full game takes about as long as two innings of a regular MLB game.
• Two-minute at-bats. Each hitter gets one timed at-bat per turn, swinging from a custom hitting stage.
• Defense plays in the outfield. All three fielders set up in the outfield to chase fly balls.
• One point per home run, one point per catch. Offense and defense count equally, so a great catch is worth as much as a home run.
• Bonus target. Hitting the ball through a target hung above the center-field fence earns bonus points.
• Hot Streak. Once per at-bat, a hitter can start a Hot Streak: for five straight swings, home runs and catches both count double.
• Tag-in. In the last 30 seconds of an at-bat, the hitter can tag in a teammate to finish it.

What is MLBx 3 on 3, and how is it different from regular baseball?

MLBx 3 on 3 is a points game, not a runs game. Hitters score by clearing the fence, and a two-minute clock sets the length of each at-bat. The defense is not just preventing scoring, it is scoring, which is the biggest change from both a nine-inning game and a home run derby, where fielders stand around. The format runs in a single-elimination bracket: two semifinals, then a final.

That makes 3 on 3 baseball closer to a timed skills competition with a scoreboard than to a shortened game. The stadium PA announcer at the debut called it "a Home Run Derby with a twist."

The first MLBx game: teams and results

The first MLBx was played on Sunday, July 12, 2026, after the All-Star Futures Game, on a mini diamond set up in center field at Citizens Bank Park, and streamed on Peacock. Three of the four teams were captained by members of the Phillies' 2008 World Series champions.

• Semifinal 1: Team Howard beat Team Rollins.
• Semifinal 2: Team Victorino beat the Braves team 25-23 on a walk-off home run by Rachel Garcia.
• Final: Team Victorino beat Team Howard 48-39. Garcia was named MVP after scoring 18 points in the final, per the MLB.com recap.

Where MLBx came from: Home Run Derby X

MLBx grew out of Home Run Derby X, a touring co-ed format MLB launched in 2022 that also mixed former big leaguers, softball stars and local players and scored both homers and catches. The 2025 Home Run Derby X finals were held September 19-20, 2025 in South Jordan, Utah, where the Dodgers team of Grady Emerson, Mya Perez and Adrián González beat the Yankees 72-71. MLBx brought the same idea to the All-Star stage with a tighter 3-on-3 setup.

As of October 2026, MLB has not announced a second MLBx or a date for one.

Is MLBx something you can bet on?

Exhibitions like MLBx rarely get betting markets, since rosters are announced late and the format is new. Formats like this are where peer-to-peer betting can help niche sports: on a social betting marketplace like BettorEdge, bettors set the prices instead of waiting for a sportsbook to post a line, and there is no vig built into the price. For regular-season and postseason baseball, see the MLB odds board and the World Series odds.

MLBx FAQ

What is MLBx?

MLBx is Major League Baseball's co-ed 3-on-3 baseball game, a three-inning contest of about 30 minutes in which teams score one point per home run and one point per catch. The first MLBx was played on July 12, 2026 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia during All-Star Week, replacing the All-Star Celebrity Softball Game.

What is MLB 3 on 3?

MLB 3 on 3 is the MLBx format, in which teams of three, an MLB legend, an AUSL softball player and a celebrity, compete in a knockout bracket of three-inning games. Each hitter gets a two-minute at-bat, all three fielders play the outfield, and catches count as much as home runs. Four teams played two semifinals and a final in 2026.

What are the MLBx rules?

The MLBx rules give each hitter one two-minute at-bat per turn, award one point for each home run and one point for each defensive catch, and add bonus points for hitting a target above the center-field fence. Once per at-bat, a hitter can start a Hot Streak, doubling home runs and catches for five swings, and can tag in a teammate during the last 30 seconds.

Who won MLBx 2026?

Team Victorino won the first MLBx on July 12, 2026, beating Team Howard 48-39 in the final at Citizens Bank Park. Shane Victorino's team also included AUSL star Rachel Garcia and recording artist Eladio Carrión, and Garcia was named MVP after scoring 18 points in the final. Her walk-off home run had won the semifinal 25-23.

How is MLBx different from Home Run Derby X?

MLBx is the All-Star Week version of Home Run Derby X, MLB's touring co-ed format that began in 2022. Both score home runs and catches, but MLBx uses a 3-on-3, three-inning knockout bracket with a Hot Streak rule and bonus target. The 2025 Home Run Derby X finals in South Jordan, Utah ended with the Dodgers beating the Yankees 72-71.