Yankees manager Aaron Boone expressed enthusiasm about Aaron Judge serving as captain for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Speaking on the YES Network’s Hot Stove program, Boone said, “I’m excited for him. I think a player of his magnitude and his caliber, as popular as we’ve seen this tournament become – certainly, last time it was a special, special event.
“I think the fact that Aaron Judge is captaining the U.S. team, I think it’s the right thing. … I’m excited for him to play in this kind of environment. Hopefully it’s a few weeks [where Judge is] away, and then we get him back.”
Judge was named Team USA’s captain last April and will be managed by Mark DeRosa during the tournament. This will be Judge’s first appearance in the World Baseball Classic. He had previously considered participating in 2023 but decided against it after signing a nine-year contract with the Yankees following his record-setting home run season.
“It’s something special, getting a chance to represent our country,” Judge said at the time. “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.”
Alongside Judge, Yankees closer David Bednar has also committed to Team USA. Other Yankees players may join different national teams: José Caballero (Panama), Jazz Chisholm Jr. (Great Britain), Fernando Cruz (Puerto Rico), Camilo Doval (Dominican Republic), and Austin Wells (Dominican Republic).
Boone addressed concerns about injury risks associated with playing competitive games early in the year: “Any time you’re playing high-stakes baseball that early in the year, there’s a little bit of concern,” he said. “But it’s also become a big part of our sport, and you understand that. I think all we can do is try and make sure we’re helping these guys put themselves in the best position to go out there and to do it safely and be healthy doing it.
“Obviously, there’s certain times that come up, certain situations especially with pitchers that you want them to avoid. But you also realize the value that it can provide for these guys to go really compete at this level. I think in some cases, even some of our pitchers, it forces them into having a better offseason ramp-up to get ready for this.”
Judge recently won his third American League Most Valuable Player award after surpassing Cal Raleigh from the Mariners. He will receive his MVP award on January 24 at an event hosted by the New York chapter of the Baseball Writers’ Association of America.
