Yankees' Aaron Judge Won't Commit to 2026 World Baseball Classic
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While Team USA had a stacked roster in this year's World Baseball Classic, Yankees superstar Aaron Judge was noticeably missing from the squad.
According to Judge, he skipped the WBC to focus on Spring Training after signing a nine-year, $360 million deal with the Yankees and being named team captain., as he told FOX Sports.
With the next WBC coming in 2026, Judge said he will consider playing for Team USA, but remained noncommittal.
Per The New York Post:
"It's tough to say now since it's three years down the road," Judge said. "We'll see when the time comes. It's a fun, amazing event. It captivates the world. You've got kids everywhere staying up late watching these games, and you've got the best players in baseball competing. We'll see where we are when the time comes."
Although Team USA had plenty of talent on this year's roster, they were missing Judge, who could have potentially provided more offense in the championship game, where the U.S. fell to Team Japan.
Judge, 31, has avoided high-profile events in recent years, such as the Home Run Derby last season. Judge won the Derby as a rookie in 2017.
In Grapefruit League play, Judge is 10-for-29 (.345) with one home run. Last season, he won the American League MVP Award after slashing .311/.425/.686 with 131 RBIs and setting the AL home run record with 62 long balls.
Judge turned down a $213.5 million extension from the Yankees last April, and it ultimately paid off for him in 2022.
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