NEW YORK -- Aaron Judge recalls watching from home while Mike Trout led Team USA onto the field in the most recent World Baseball Classic finals, proudly carrying a flagpole flying the stars and stripes across his right shoulder. That responsibility of representing both a roster and a country now belongs to the Yankees superstar.
Judge was named Team USA’s captain for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Monday, an announcement made by team manager Mark DeRosa on MLB Network. Judge is the first player to commit to representing Team USA in the 2026 Classic, and he will make his WBC debut.
“It’s something special, getting a chance to represent our country,” Judge said. “I’m 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 play a game. It’s a pretty humbling experience.”
Judge had previously expressed interest in playing for Team USA, though he sat out the 2023 WBC following his 62-homer campaign and a whirlwind tour through free agency that resulted in a nine-year, $360 million contract. At the time, Judge felt he should be with the Yankees, who had just named him the club’s first captain since Derek Jeter.
But he hoped another opportunity would develop. DeRosa said he heard Judge had mentioned the possibility of playing for Team USA to Andy Pettitte, who will serve as DeRosa’s pitching coach. Chad Bohling, the Yankees’ senior director of organizational performance, also passed along Judge’s wishes to DeRosa.
“When I was named manager, the first guy I thought of was No. 99,” DeRosa said. “I wanted him to be the captain. I felt like he’s deserving of it. I watched Mike Trout walk out against Japan holding the flag; I want [Judge] to be that guy.
“ … Something happens when you put ‘USA’ across your chest and you walk into the dugout and you see all those guys. It just means something different.”
DeRosa said he called Trout this week to alert the Angels star that Judge would succeed him as Team USA’s captain. Trout’s response, according to DeRosa: “He should be.”
“I think [Judge is] the perfect face to be the captain of Team USA,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “In a lot of ways, he’s certainly one of the faces of baseball; such a magnetic personality that people gravitate to, that people around the game love and respect. I think he’ll be great.”
Judge said he hopes Trout will return to play in the 2026 WBC -- “He’d better be out there patrolling the outfield with me,” Judge said -- but he doesn’t plan to actively recruit other talent. He probably won’t need to.
DeRosa said he’d prefer Judge not concern himself with the roster, noting: “From a position player standpoint, I could probably fill out five lineups with guys that want to do it.” The wrinkle will be securing pitchers, as the tournament is held while teams gear up during Spring Training in March.
WBC games will be played in San Juan, Tokyo, Houston and Miami, with the semifinals and finals to be held at loanDepot Park, home of the Marlins. For the first round, Team USA will be part of Pool B in Houston.
“You have a bunch of guys that compete against each other all year long, and now you bring us all together -- it’s going to be something special,” Judge said. “We play this game for such a small amount of time, so to get an opportunity like this, I think guys really gravitate toward it.”
With Trout leading the way (and Judge watching from his Tampa, Fla., home), Team USA made it to the gold-medal game of the 2023 Classic, where they lost to Japan. Judge hopes to lead Team USA to its second-ever WBC title, and its first since 2017.
“I feel like Mark had the recipe [in 2023] to get into the championship; they had a great lineup, great bullpen and pitching staff,” Judge said. “I think we can add a couple of new pieces with a lot of young players in this game that are exciting and definitely want to represent their country. I think this team is going to be on a mission.”