‘It’s cool how it’s come full circle.’ Phillies’ Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Rhys Hoskins relive 2018 Home Run Derby

LOS ANGELES — On the eve of the 2018 All-Star Game in Washington, Bryce Harper and Rhys Hoskins sat at opposite ends of a stage for a news conference at Nationals Park. Harper had 173 career home runs; Hoskins had played in a total of 136 major league games.

“I think I was asked about how, basically the summer before, I was in the Futures Game,” Hoskins said. “And I remember thinking, yeah, a lot has happened in a year.”

That night, Harper, Hoskins, and Kyle Schwarber were among eight contestants in the Home Run Derby. Hoskins has thought fondly of that event over the years. But it tends to come up a bit more often now that he sees Harper and Schwarber every day.

Harper, who roared back to win the 2018 Derby and thrill Nationals fans, signed with the Phillies eight months later. Schwarber, a hero of the hex-busting 2016 Chicago Cubs and the Derby runner-up despite walloping 55 — count ‘em, 55! — homers, joined the Phillies in March on a four-year, $79 million contract.

» READ MORE: The legend of Kyle Schwarber's home run power

“It’s cool how it’s kind of come full circle,” said Schwarber, a Derby favorite Monday night at Dodger Stadium. “We’re all teammates and able to relive it.”

Last month, when the Phillies visited Nationals Park, Hoskins, Harper, and Schwarber shared their memories from July 16, 2018.

HARPER: It was hot, man. I remember it was really hot. The fans were in it. Packed house. Seeing Rhys, there was kind of that, ‘Hey, I could be his teammate next year.’ That was a thought I had that night. But I was trying to win. I didn’t really talk much to him or Schwarber. It was, ‘I’m trying to beat both of you guys.’ It was my home ballpark, right?

SCHWARBER: I just remember how packed it was. The fans in Washington really showed out.

HOSKINS: Up until that time in my career, it was maybe the most fun I had on a baseball field. Just a phenomenal atmosphere. I was first, so it was maybe also the most nervous I’d ever been. I remember having two goals: Just hit more than zero and not swing and miss. I was going to have a good time, regardless.

As the No. 8 seed, Hoskins led off by outhomering top-ranked Jesús Aguilar, 17-12. Fifth-seeded Schwarber went deep 16 times, including a 440-footer, in his first-round matchup with No. 4 Alex Bregman, whose tying bid came within inches of clearing the fence in left-center field. The nailbiting victory set up a second-round matchup between Schwarber and Hoskins.

With Phillies minor league infield coordinator Chris Truby throwing to him, Hoskins smashed 20 homers in four minutes. Schwarber took his friend and years-long batting practice pitcher Mike Sinicola deep on only one of his first eight swings before a late rally. He won on his last swing, punctuating it by raising his arms during his follow-through and letting go of the bat.

SCHWARBER: Rhys went off for like 20, and I’m like, ‘Oh man, he’s going to be tough to beat.’ I hit one at the buzzer to win it, and that was really cool. Just talking to Rhys, knowing Rhys a little bit before that, it was fun. I think it’s a memory that we won’t forget.

HOSKINS: Of course everybody wants to win, but for me, I think the purpose of it was achieved. It was a pretty cool moment there.

SCHWARBER: Everyone was cheering and going nuts on that round, and I’m like, ‘Oh, they like me!’ Then I’m up against Bryce in the finals and it’s just straight boos. I’m like, ‘Sounds about right.’ I was like, ‘No matter what I do, he’s probably going to beat me.’ That’s all I was thinking.

» READ MORE: Phillies slugger Rhys Hoskins puts on a show before bowing out in Home Run Derby

Decked out in a headband with the District of Columbia flag, an American flag arm sleeve, custom spikes with the D.C. monuments, and stars and stripes painted on the barrel of his bat — and with his dad, Ron, pitching to him — Harper edged Freddie Freeman and Max Muncy by 13-12 margins in the first two rounds.

It wasn’t Harper’s first Derby. He finished second to Yoenis Céspedes at Citi Field in New York in 2013. Once Washington got the 2018 All-Star Game, Harper circled the date.

HARPER: When Todd Frazier did it in Cincinnati [in 2015], I thought to myself, ‘Man, that would really be cool to do it in my home ballpark and share that with the fans and my dad.’ [MLB] didn’t have to ask. They knew I was going to do it. I don’t know if I’m going to do it when it comes to Philly. It’s 2026, right? I may be a little too old. But I think adrenaline might kick in. We’ll see.

HOSKINS: Bryce is Bryce. I had always played against him. But for him to be in it, it was amazing. Flag headband, the whole thing. It was just cool.

HARPER: I knew the ballpark. That was a thing I liked about it. I knew when I hit one that it was going to go or not going to go. I think knowing the ballpark really helps you get in that groove.

Schwarber set a high bar with 18 homers. Harper had nine with only 55 seconds left. Then, in one of the great Derby flourishes, he reeled off nine homers in a row, tying it on his final swing, before walking it off with a homer in bonus time.

Nationals Park erupted. Harper chucked his bat with two hands, walked in the direction of the mound, and grabbed the trophy from Nationals teammates Max Scherzer and Sean Doolittle.

HARPER: Being able to share that with my dad, that’s one thing I’ll always remember.

SCHWARBER: I was dead-armed going into the last round against Harp. I’m like, ‘I don’t know what to do. I’ve just got to try to hit the baseball.’ Four minutes of straight hacking as hard as you can, no one does that on any regular day. That’s something that people don’t realize.

After being named to the All-Star team last week as a National League reserve, Schwarber said it was “50/50″ that he would compete in the Derby again. Not only did he sign on, but he’s the top seed with a league-leading 28 homers. His first-round opponent: 42-year-old Albert Pujols, a sentimental favorite in his final season.

HARPER: Middle of summer, July, [the ball] is going to be flying in L.A. Schwarby might hit some balls out of that stadium, you know? I think it’d be sick.

SCHWARBER: I watched the Derby when I was a kid. Who didn’t, right? You listen to Boomer [ESPN’s Chris Berman] calling it — ‘Back, back, back, back, back ... GONE!’ — and you want to do that whenever you get the chance.

HOSKINS: I was finding my footing at the time in the big leagues, so it was just a ton of fun to be around people that you grew up admiring as baseball players. It’s definitely come up between the three of us, especially when we’re in Washington. Just a pretty cool night, right? And here we are.