Aaron Judge announced that he will play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa revealed that the New York Yankees captain will also be captain of the U.S. squad which begins play on March 6, 2026.
"I was looking forward to this opportunity," Judge said during an interview on MLB Network. "Getting a chance to represent, be the captain, something that [Mike Trout] did the last time is a pretty special honor."
Judge, 33, did not play on the 2023 U.S. WBC squad, captained by Trout, because he was a free agent and eventually signed a nine-year, $360 million contract to stay with the Yankees.