Aaron Judge salutes 'brave men and women' fighting for country after being named Team USA captain for WBC

New York Yankees two-time MVP slugger Aaron Judge volition beryllium Team USA’s skipper for the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and helium couldn’t beryllium happier to pb the Stars and Stripes against the world’s champion endowment connected the diamond.

Speaking astatine Yankee Stadium aft the announcement, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said that helium asked erstwhile skipper Mike Trout for support to sanction Judge successful the role. DeRosa said the Los Angeles Angels superstar responded, "He’s the one."

Judge remembered Trout starring retired Team USA successful the astir caller World Baseball Classic finals, wherever helium waved the American emblem portion walking retired onto the field. 

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New York Yankees close fielder Aaron Judge (99) heads backmost to the tract aft getting stranded connected archetypal basal successful the seventh inning against the San Francisco Giants astatine Yankee Stadium. (Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images)

The Yankees skipper understands the work that he’s been privileged to have, and helium made definite to constituent retired each those successful the equipped forces that let him to bash so. 

"To perceive that praise from you, perceive the praise from Trouty, it’s thing special," Judge said to DeRosa during a property league astatine Yankee Stadium. "Getting the accidental to correspond our state — I said it earlier this greeting — conscionable reasoning astir each the brave men and women who person fought for this state and laid their lives down for america to get a accidental to spell retired here, particularly me, spell retired present and play a game. It’s a beauteous humbling experience. 

"Happy to correspond the U.S. and blessed to beryllium your captain."

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Judge was vocal astir his privation to play for Team USA 1 day, but erstwhile the tourney came astir successful 2023, it was a pugnacious clip arsenic helium was searching for a escaped cause contract. Considering what happened to New York Mets person Edwin Diaz during a solemnisation with Team Puerto Rico — helium tore his Achilles successful a freak mishap — Judge wasn’t risking immoderate injury. 

Judge received a nine-year, $360 cardinal hold with the Yankees, and the captaincy for the franchise to boot. But with the caller deal, Judge thought it astute to beryllium out.

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a azygous against the San Francisco Giants during the 5th inning astatine Yankee Stadium. (Tom Horak-Imagn Images)

But Judge, who won his 2nd MVP this past season, knew the tourney would travel astir again successful 2026. And DeRose instantly thought of Judge erstwhile helium was named manager. 

"I wanted him to beryllium the captain," DeRosa told reporters. "I felt similar he’s deserving of it. I watched Mike Trout locomotion retired against Japan holding the flag; I privation [Judge] to beryllium that guy."

Yankees manager Aaron Boone added: "In a batch of ways, he’s surely 1 of the look of baseball. Such a magnetic property that radical gravitate to, that radical astir the crippled emotion and respect. I deliberation he’ll beryllium great."

New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts aft catching a popular alert against the San Francisco Giants during the eighth inning astatine Yankee Stadium.  (Tom Horak-Imagn Images)

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While Judge is aboard arsenic Team USA’s captain, the surrounding roster won’t beryllium finalized until adjacent year. In 2023, it came retired successful aboriginal February. 

However, Judge’s beingness should pb different large players from the U.S. to dependable their privation to beryllium considered by DeRosa to marque the team. 

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