Aaron Judge Gets Candid About Leading Team USA at International Level

Mar 14, 2026 | 6:05 AM CDT

Aaron Judge Gets Candid About Leading Team USA at International Level

Mar 14, 2026 | 6:05 AM CDT

Captain America certainly waited a long time to experience this feeling. The feeling to represent his country. He has missed out on this opportunity before, but now that he has it, we saw him reflecting on what it truly meant to finally wear the colors of the United States national baseball team.

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“It’s everything, man,” he said while speaking with Kevin Durant for an upcoming Boardroom Cover Story set to release later this month. “I never got a chance to play for any Team USA or do anything like that growing up,” Aaron Judge said. “So, you know, this opportunity, the minute the 23rd was over, I was like, I called up, I was like, hey, whenever the next one comes around, like, put me in; already pencil me in, man, I’m going to be ready to go. So it’s just, it’s just a cool experience, man. I get a chance to play with some of the greatest players in the game, all on one team, and we’re all fighting for one thing.”

2026 WBC is the first time Aaron Judge is representing his country in baseball. After missing out on the 2023 edition due to MLB responsibilities, Judge not only entered the 2026 event but also eventually captained Team USA. Also, Judge is loving his time sharing the clubhouse with some of baseball’s biggest names.

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Apart from the All-Star games, which are mostly exhibition events, fans couldn’t see names like Aaron Judge, Alex Bregman, and Bryce Harper sharing a clubhouse. So, just as much as the fans are enjoying the show, Team USA’s captain is also not far behind.

And as per Yankees manager Aaron Boone, Judge is the best one to lead Team USA in the WBC. “The fact that Aaron Judge is captaining the U.S. team,” the Yankees manager said. “I think it’s the right thing.”

Under Judge’s captaincy, the Yankees won their first AL pennant in 15 years in 2024. Under his captaincy, the team reached the postseason in 2024 and 2025, rebounding from an injury-plagued 2023 season. And last year, Aaron Judge led the Yankees offense to lead the charts. Even for the captain himself, leading Team USA and the Yankees feels the same.

“For me, (the approach) stays the same,” Judge said on The Pat McAfee Show. With the Yankees, Judge knows how to keep a star-studded clubhouse focused, which surely comes in handy when leading Team USA. So, Aaron Judge is enjoying what he does best, but this time, it’s further fueled by the national pride.

A playoff-like scene is here for the captain, Aaron Judge

While the regular season is yet to kick in, Aaron Judge is anticipating a playoff-like scene as Team USA enters the semifinals. “Definitely getting a taste of playoff atmosphere in March. Definitely gets the juices flowing a little bit,” Judge said on Friday.

Team USA will face the Dominican Republic in the semifinal, and that will be the clash of the titans of baseball. The Dominican side comprises names like Juan Soto, Vladimir Guerrero, and Fernando Tatis Jr. in their offense, and the likes of Sandy Alcantara and Christopher Sanchez in the pitching. So, two star-studded lineups would clash with each other.

With both teams driven by national pride and baseball’s only global championship on the line, it is surely no less than an MLB playoff. And the captain confirms that Team USA is ready. “The boys are excited, that’s for sure,” Judge added.

That’s what makes Aaron Judge the perfect choice to lead Team USA. He is calm and composed despite the adrenaline rush. Now, the next two days will confirm if he is enough to take Team USA to the final.