Italy just pulled off a surprise, beating the USA 8–6 in a Pool B matchup. And the win wasn’t just a statement against one of the tournament favorites, but also made things a lot tougher for Team USA as they try to stay alive in the WBC.

Reportedly, with the loss, Team USA drops to 3–1, while Italy moves to a perfect 3–0. Italy now heads into a big showdown with Mexico (2–1) on Wednesday, a game that will decide which teams move on from Pool B, since only two can advance.

However, more than anything, the fans’ wrath has fallen on Team USA captain Aaron Judge, who struggled in the game and ended up taking the brunt of the criticism after the loss.

“Aaron Judge is a great regular-season, doesn’t matter game player. But when it matters…choke!” One American fan offered a reality check via X.

Well, it’s not exactly new to hear Aaron Judge being labeled a “regular-season hero” by some fans. Just look at 2024. He absolutely dominated during the regular season, leading MLB with a .322 batting average, 58 HRs, 144 RBIs, and a 1.159 OPS across 158 games.

But once the postseason rolled around, things didn’t look the same. In 14 playoff games, he managed just nine hits with 3 HRs and 9 RBIs!

And moments like the infamous dropped ball in the World Series in 2024 only added fuel to the criticism, with many fans saying it cost the Yankees their shot at the title.

That narrative came back again in tonight’s game against Italy. Reportedly, in the eighth inning, with Team USA trailing 8–5, all eyes were on their captain to spark a comeback. Instead, Aaron Judge struck out without recording a hit. And by the end of the night, his stat line showed just one stolen base in four at-bats.

Result? With the latest loss, Team USA is eyeing an early exit from the pool stage if Mexico wins the next game against Italy. While similar heartbreaks are nothing new for the Yankees fans, the entire American fanbases are experiencing the same now. And their common link? Aaron Judge.

For frustrated fans, tonight’s game was enough to revive the familiar criticism, once again calling the Yankees star a “choker” in big moments and blaming him for Team USA’s loss, much like they’ve blamed him for the franchise’s postseason struggles over the last few years.

This is a developing story…