Yankees’ Aaron Judge to be US captain at 2026 World Baseball Classic

Appointed U.S. captain for next year’s World Baseball Classic, Aaron Judge will be playing for more than himself and his teammates.

“It’s something special getting a chance to represent our country,” the New York Yankees star said after manager Mark DeRosa’s announcement Monday. “Just thinking about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and laid their lives down for us to get a chance to go out here, and especially me, to get a change to go out here and play a game, it’s a pretty humbling experience.”

DeRosa announced the appointment of the two-time American League Most Valuable Player four days after he was named U.S. manager for the second straight WBC.

“I got an opportunity before I get too old and Mark doesn’t want me anymore,” Judge said alongside DeRosa at a Yankee Stadium news conference.

Judge takes over from the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout, the U.S. captain at the 2023 tournament. The U.S. lost the 2023 championship game to Japan 3-2 as Shohei Ohtani struck out Trout, his then-Angels teammate, to end the game.

“I reached out to Trout yesterday, told him where we were going. He said, `He’s the one,’” DeRosa said.

Having just gone through free agency and being named the Yankees captain, Judge declined to play in the 2023 tournament.

“I felt like first my responsibility 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.”

Judge, who turns 33 on April 26, was the first player announced for the U.S. roster. The outfielder entered Monday hitting .357 with a major league-leading 20 RBIs and six home runs, tied for the big league high.

The U.S. is grouped with Britain, Brazil, Italy and Mexico in Group B of the first round of next year’s World Baseball Classic at Houston’s Minute Maid Park from March 6-11.

“Something happens when you put U-S-A across your chest and you walk into the dugout and you see all those games,” DeRosa said. “You’re playing for way more than yourself. You’re playing for your great-grandfather. You’re planning for your grandparents, your parents, what they represent, your morals, your values, everything.”

Judge said he did not give the Yankees advance notice of his selection.

“I think it’s the perfect face to be the captain of Team USA,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Certainly one of the faces of the baseball. Such a magnetic personality that people gravitate to, that people around the game love and respect.”

Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who finished second to Judge in last year’s AL MVP vote, hoped for an opportunity to play alongside Judge. Witt was on the 2023 U.S. team, but had just three plate appearances.

“You learn why those guys are All-Stars. You learn why they’re great players,” he said. “The work they put in, the preparation they do.”

The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals on March 13 and 14, with teams from Groups A and B playing in Houston and nations emerging from Groups C and D meeting in Miami. The semifinals will be March 15 and 16 at Miami, which will be the site of the final on March 17.

Teams have been more reticent to allow starting pitchers to participate in the preseason tournament.

“From a position-player standpoint I could probably fill out five lineups with guys that want to do it,” DeRosa said. “It’ll be the pitching that we have to lock down.”

In 2023, the U.S. starting pitchers were Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, Nick Martinez and Adam Wainwright.

“I completely understand the nature of the investment and trying to keep these guys healthy and what’s important, but I also think that we can respect all those wishes and still have the best arms,” DeRosa said. “Ultimately the parent clubs control the usage, so we would certainly honor that. I think there’s a groundswell as more guys want to do it and kind of push the parent clubs to want to let them do it. There’s a way to make everyone feel comfortable, whether that’s bringing their own people with them or what have you for them to get their proper work in.”

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB