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Aaron Judge has joined Team USA for the World Baseball Classic. He will captain the team as it tries to get back to the pinnacle of the sport. It will also be his first foray into international play since becoming an MLB player.
Judge passed up the chance to play for Team USA in 2023 because he was still coming off a free agency foray when the team started playing and was technically a free agent when rosters were being set.
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This time, with no such restraint, he wants to join the team and he has been confirmed as captain by manager Mark DeRosa. In an interview with MLB Network on Monday, Judge said:
"It wasn't the best sitting at home, watching Team USA battle. I wanted to be there. I was kind of in the middle of free agency, but I was looking forward to this opportunity again. Getting a chance to represent and be the captain, something that Trouty did the last time, is a pretty special honor."
The former American League MVP has not yet represented the USA in international competition, and that's something he's very eager to do. He added:
"Just getting a chance to represent this country. What this country means to me. ... Now getting the chance to have USA across my chest and represent all the great people in our country. ... It's a great opportunity."
Rosters are still coming together, but it is expected that many of America's best players will follow Judge's lead and join the team next winter when the tournament returns.
Aaron Judge gets future HoFer's approval for captaincy
Aaron Judge is the captain of the New York Yankees. He succeeded, though not in successive years, Derek Jeter in that role. Now, he's the Team USA World Baseball Classic captain.
He will succeed Mike Trout, who told manager Mark DeRosa that Judge needed to be the captain instead of himself. That praise meant a lot to Judge, who said on MLB Network:
"That's what it's all about. The recognition from your peers, especially Mike Trout, he's the greatest player in the game. Has been since I came into the league and before I came into the league. Hearing that from the best, I'm still hoping he's on the team, he better be out there patrolling the outfield with me."
He continued, saying he was so happy that the Los Angeles Angels outfielder passed the torch:
"That's what it's all about, recognition from your peers. They go through the grind on a daily basis, they know what it's about, so it's pretty special."
Judge acknowledged that both he and Trout play right field now, but he is hoping they can work something out defensively to get them both in the field.
