Yankees' Aaron Judge to be U.S. captain at 2026 World Baseball Classic

Oh, Judge, the guy who couldn't be bothered to show up to the last one.

Oh, Judge, the guy who couldn't be bothered to show up to the last one.

Judge prioritized the Yankees during the last WBC - he just became a free agent, signed a very big contract with the Yanks, and was declared their Yankee captain. So he wanted to prove to the team that he was worth the big contract and the captaincy - and thus prioritized the season instead of the WBC

This time, he wanted to join before he gets too old, and he deserves the captaincy - he's been the best American slugger the last couple years (even Trout agrees)

https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/44671499/yankees-aaron-judge-captain-team-usa-26-wbc

Judge will be making his WBC debut. He did not play in the WBC in 2023 when Team USA, also managed by DeRosa, lost to Japan in the title game. Angels star Mike Trout served as captain of that team.

Judge, who turns 33 on April 26, is the first player to be named to the team. "I got an opportunity before I get too old and Mark doesn't want me anymore," Judge said at Yankee Stadium later Monday.

DeRosa said he told Trout about his decision to go with Judge as captain on Sunday. "I reached out to Trout yesterday, told him where we were going," DeRosa said. "He said, 'He's the one.'"

Judge, who said he declined to play in the 2023 tournament after having just gone through free agency and being named Yankees captain, said he did not give the Yankees advance notice of his selection this time around.

"I felt like first my responsibility [in 2023] was to the Yankees," Judge said. "I wanted to be a big part of getting the Yankees back where they need to be, so I felt I couldn't miss that first spring training."

"Just getting a chance to represent this country, what this country means to me," Judge told MLB Network. "Honestly, every game, during the national anthem [and] 'God Bless America,' getting a chance to sit out there, for me it's a time to reflect about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and given me the opportunity to step on a baseball field and play a game that I love.

"Now, getting a chance to have 'USA' across my chest and represent all the great people in our country and represent what this country means, it's a great opportunity. I never had this opportunity before, even growing up as a kid, so I'm definitely looking forward to it."