Trey Mancini on the derby, second half, trade talk and more

He was taking big swings and mashing homers on the big stage Monday night in Denver. Trey Mancini advanced to the final round of the Home Run Derby competition at the All-Star Game. But now all the attention and interviews give way to the rest of his regular season with the Orioles.

And the rest of the year begins tonight with the start of a three-game series at Kansas City.

"I enjoyed it so much and it was one of the most fun times I've ever had, but it was also a lot," Mancini said this afternoon during a Zoom interview. "I was ready to have a couple of days off and a little break to get away from everything. I did have the opportunity to have a nice reset Wednesday and yesterday. So, I'm really excited to start the second half back up.

"Just looking forward to seeing what this team can do in the second half. This is a huge half for us going into next year. It really is. And I said this on Sunday, but so much momentum can be built the last couple of months of the season going into the next year. And I'm excited to see improvements that we can make in this half of baseball."

Mancini has hit .256/.331/.460/.791 with 18 doubles, 16 homers and 55 RBIs. While he has hit just .190 his last 17 games, his last swing for the Orioles was a game-tying, two-run homer with two outs in the last of the ninth Sunday off Chicago White Sox All-Star right-hander Liam Hendriks. He is the same pitcher who two days later would get a save in the All-Star game for the American League.

With the trade deadline approaching at the end of this month, now Mancini's focus might shift from the high of the derby to reading about his name in trade rumors.

"Of course, I want to stay," he said of any possible trade. "I've always said that and I still do. But that is something that I can't control. It really, you know, it's a business and I know that, so whatever happens, it happens. I really hope to stay but I understand there is a much bigger picture than just myself. I hope to stay, I think I will. But, at the same time, it's not anything that I will put much thought to because I really have no say in it."

Some players don't want to take part in a Home Run Derby, for fear that it could mess up their swings. For Mancini, who was struggling going into the break, maybe his performance will have the opposite effect.

"I was kind of joking before that my swing wasn't really feeling too great in the three weeks to a month leading up to the derby," he said. "So, I figured, you know, 'What the hell.' I don't know if it can be too messed up. Like I said, it was just such a cool opportunity to pass up, given the situation and my year and a half leading to it. It was such a fun night and one of the most incredible experiences I've ever had."

During the derby, current Oriole Cedric Mullins and former Oriole Manny Machado provided some motivation for Mancini.

"I told Ced I would need him at the timeout to give me a pep talk and calm me down," Mancini said. "I needed to take it all in, and Ced was huge. He helped calm me down. He and Manny throughout the entire derby were huge for me. They were definitely my coaches out there."

Mancini said one reason he wanted to take part in the derby was to show cancer patients there is life after such a diagnosis. He has had an outpouring from people who heard that message.

"There have been countless people who reached out and told me they were recently either diagnosed with colon cancer or another form of cancer or any illness," he said. "It was so touching, and that is exactly why I wanted to do it. And my older sister runs my foundation, and she said we are just trying to sort through all the messages. She has told me about some really cool ones we've seen. It's something that I want to respond to everything I can. It's really tough, but I'm just so appreciative for all the kind words. The messages have been flooding in, it's been amazing."

Quite a last few days for the O's slugger. What was the best part of it all?

"It's hard to even say right now, but I think having all my family and my friends there," he said. "Especially after everything we've all been through together. I wouldn't have gotten through last year without all of them. And I include Sara (Perlman, his girlfriend) and my family too. It was just incredible to be able to share that night with them after having a lot of tough days the last year and half. It was just so special, and to have them on the field with me after the game."

And taking part in the derby allowed him to cross something off his future to-do list.

"We took our Christmas card picture afterward, which was pretty nice to get that over with and not have to worry about it later in the year," Mancini said. "It's not one of my favorite things to do. So, you know, fun to have them all there and supporting me on a really fun night."