New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge is set to lead Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Following their 2023 loss to Japan, the Americans have stacked their roster with talent for the 2026 tournament. Judge, speaking at Yankees spring training, shared the excitement buzzing among the team, especially after Jack Hughes' golden goal that clinched men's hockey gold at the Olympics.
Judge mentioned the electric atmosphere in their group chat, saying, “We were all kind of talking in our group text together. Everybody was fired up about how special it’s going to be.
I look at it the same, just proud of our country. Those boys put on a good show and handled business.
Now it’s our turn.”
Yankees closer David Bednar echoed this sentiment, highlighting the pride and excitement among the players. The group chat was flooded with messages about the significance of the moment, with plenty of “LFG” texts following Hughes’ game-winning goal.
Jack Hughes, from the New Jersey Devils, secured Team USA's first men's hockey gold in 46 years with a slick shot under Jordan Binnington's pad. Earlier, Megan Keller had scored a similar goal to defeat Canada in overtime, earning Team USA's third women's hockey gold medal.
Judge will be part of a star-studded lineup for Team USA at the World Baseball Classic. With Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal on the mound, Cal Raleigh and Bobby Witt Jr in the lineup, and Pete Crow-Armstrong in centerfield, the team is ready to avenge their 2023 loss and build on the momentum from the hockey triumphs.
The big question remains: Can Team USA and Judge capture the World Baseball Classic title?