MIAMI — Aaron Judge has carried the Team USA banner with pride through every round of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The New York Yankees captain has homered, walked, driven in runs and played Gold Glove defense in center field across five games. But Sunday night’s WBC semifinal against the Dominican Republic at loanDepot Park will test something beyond his bat and his glove.
Three of his Yankees teammates are on the other side.
Catcher Austin Wells, infielder Amed Rosario and reliever Camilo Doval all suit up for the Dominican Republic, which has steamrolled through the tournament with a 5-0 record and a 51-10 run differential. Wells crushed a three-run walkoff homer in Friday’s 10-0 mercy-rule win over South Korea. Doval remains one of the most feared arms in the Yankees’ bullpen. Rosario is a trusted bench piece in the Bronx.
So when reporters asked Judge how he felt about squaring off against familiar faces, the Yankees captain did not sugarcoat it.
Judge draws a hard line between Yankees and country
Judge acknowledged seeing Wells’ big homer against South Korea earlier Friday. He was happy for his Yankees teammate. But that warmth only goes so far once the first pitch is thrown.
“Yeah I saw he had a nice homer today which is good. You know, on a Yankees side it’s good to see him rolling and doing his thing back there,” Judge said after Team USA’s 5-3 quarterfinal win over Canada. “As much as it’s fun seeing those guys and this and that, I’ve got USA on my chest and I’m going to focus on those guys right now.”
The message was unmistakable. No matter how strong the bonds are inside the Yankees clubhouse, this is a different stage. Judge was the first player to commit to the 2026 Team USA roster and was named captain on April 14, 2025. He has treated the role with the same seriousness he brings to his duties in the Bronx.
Through five WBC games, the three-time AL MVP has gone 5-for-19 with two home runs, five RBIs, six walks and five runs scored. He doubled in Friday’s win and anchored the Team USA defense in center field all night.
Webb’s praise underscores Judge’s presence
Judge’s teammates on the American side have taken notice of his leadership. San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb started Friday’s quarterfinal and delivered 4 2/3 scoreless innings with five strikeouts against Canada. After the game, Webb spoke with MLB Network about what Judge brings to the clubhouse.
“He’s calm all the time. I’ve never seen that guy waver; it’s pretty impressive,” Webb said. “I think that’s why he’s the captain of the Yankees and the captain of our team. There’s a lot of leaders on this team, pretty much everywhere, of their own teams. Having Aaron here…he’s the captain. It’s not just for the Yankees, it’s for the United States.”
Webb and Judge nearly became teammates during the 2022 offseason when the Giants aggressively pursued the Yankees slugger in free agency. Judge chose to stay in the Bronx and was named the 16th captain in Yankees history. Webb has joked about it this spring but has made no secret of his admiration for the Yankees captain.
The Dominican Republic poses a massive test
Judge knows what his team is walking into Sunday night. The Dominican Republic has been the most dominant force in this tournament. Their lineup, featuring Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr. and Oneil Cruz, has belted 14 home runs to tie a WBC record. Their pitching staff has been nearly as impressive.
“We know what type of team they’ve got over there,” Judge said. “Incredible offense, incredible pitching staff, bullpen, everything is just top notch.”
Team USA will counter with Paul Skenes, the reigning NL Cy Young winner, on the mound. The Americans have relied more on pitching and discipline than raw power in this tournament, hitting seven home runs compared to the Dominican Republic’s 14. But Team USA’s staff has racked up a WBC-best 68 strikeouts.
Judge spoke about the intensity of the moment with the eagerness of a Yankees captain who has spent years chasing October glory in pinstripes.
“Definitely getting a taste of playoff atmosphere in March,” Judge said. “Definitely gets the juices flowing a little bit.”
A captain still chasing his biggest prize
Judge’s WBC run has served as another reminder of just how much he deserves a championship ring. The Yankees captain has been elite since his 52-homer Rookie of the Year campaign in 2017, but New York has reached only one World Series in that span. The club fell to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games in 2024.
Judge bounced back with a strong 2025 postseason, going 13-for-26 with a homer, seven RBIs and four walks. His game-tying home run in Game 3 of the AL Division Series against the Toronto Blue Jays kept the Yankees alive. But Toronto eliminated them the next game. The Yankees posted just a .693 team OPS in the 2025 playoffs despite Judge’s 1.273 individual mark.
The Yankees did not make major offensive additions this offseason. They are banking on the return of ace Gerrit Cole from his UCL injury and a lineup that led MLB with a .787 OPS and 274 home runs during the 2025 regular season. Whether that is enough remains the biggest question facing the franchise heading into 2026.
For now, Judge is focused on the task at hand. The WBC semifinal against the Dominican Republic is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET Sunday at loanDepot Park in Miami. The winner advances to Tuesday’s championship game. And if Judge has his way, any friendships with his Yankees teammates across the diamond will have to wait until the final out is recorded. The Yankees may be family, but tonight, country comes first.
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