TAMPA, Fla. — Aaron Judge is famously careful with his words. During the regular season, he will pause for several seconds before answering a question. He measures every syllable. Controversy finds other people, not the Yankees captain.
But on Saturday morning at George M. Steinbrenner Field, hours before leaving camp with a contingent of teammates to begin workouts with Team USA in Arizona, Judge dropped the filter.
He did not pause. He did not hedge. He spoke from the heart about what wearing “USA” across his chest means to him.
The roots of Judge’s patriotism run deep
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Judge’s connection to the flag started early. As a teenager, he developed an interest in the United States’ role in World War II. His father Wayne coached varsity basketball at Linden High School in northern California, where the national anthem played before every game.
That foundation carries into the present. At Yankee Stadium, Aaron Judge leads several teammates in singing God Bless America during the seventh-inning stretch. Along with Gerrit Cole, Anthony Volpe and Aaron Boone, he helped establish an unwritten rule: if you stand in front of the dugout, you sing.
“Singing God Bless America is my sign of respect for the veterans who are being honored on the field,” Judge said. “They’re 70 years old; some are 80, some are 90 and can barely walk. You see an old photo of them, their rank, what branch of the service, where they fought. I have nothing but respect for them.”
Judge speaks bluntly on what the Team USA jersey means
This is where the Yankees captain abandoned his usual script. Asked about his feelings heading into his first World Baseball Classic, Judge delivered one of the most unfiltered statements of his career.
“I’m going into this tournament to win it, but it’s not just that,” Judge said. “I’m representing the U.S. I love this country. It’s the greatest country in the world.”
“I think about the men and women who have sacrificed so much to preserve our freedom and our way of life,” Judge said. “That’s what the jersey means to me. I’ll wear it to honor those who’ve given their lives so I can play this kid’s game. So I can have a beautiful family and live free. That’s what wearing ‘USA’ on my chest means. I wish all Americans felt the same way.”
For a player who normally treats press conferences like a chess match, the passion was striking.
Team USA’s captain takes over from where Trout left off
Judge was named Team USA’s captain back in April 2025, when manager Mark DeRosa announced the three-time AL MVP as the first player committed to the 2026 Classic. He skipped the 2023 tournament after navigating free agency and being named the Yankees’ first captain since Derek Jeter.
“Mark DeRosa asked me last year if I’d want to join, and I said, ‘yes, if you’ll have me, I’d be honored,'” Judge said. “Being the captain is a little different than being the captain of the Yankees, but it means a great deal to me.”
Another look at Aaron Judge in his Team USA uniform🔥
Mike Trout carried the American flag onto the field in the 2023 WBC finals in Miami before the U.S. fell to Japan. DeRosa reached out to Trout before selecting Judge. The response was simple. “He said, ‘He’s the one,'” DeRosa recalled.
The U.S. opens Pool B play against Brazil on March 6 at Minute Maid Park in Houston, alongside Britain, Italy and Mexico. The semifinals and final will be held in Miami through March 17. Team USA is loaded this cycle. Paul Skenes of the Pirates and Tarik Skubal of the Tigers form what many consider the best 1-2 pitching combo the Americans have ever assembled for the event.
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The Yankees feel the impact of Judge’s absence
Judge left Tampa on Saturday along with Yankees teammates David Bednar and Paul Goldschmidt, who are also on the Team USA roster. Lefty Ryan Yarbrough was a late addition on Sunday, replacing the Twins’ Joe Ryan, who is dealing with a back issue. Yankees legend Andy Pettitte, in camp as a guest instructor, will serve as Team USA’s pitching coach.
Jazz Chisholm Jr. is suiting up for Great Britain as a co-captain. Austin Wells departed for the WBC with Team Dominican Republic. In total, the Yankees are sending nine players to various WBC teams along with Jason Zillo, vice president of communications, who will serve in a media role with Team Italy.
If the U.S. reaches the final on March 17, Judge would return to spring training with less than a week before the regular season opener in San Francisco on March 25. He admits the timing is not ideal.
“It’s a little different than what I’m used to, but I feel pretty good at the plate right now,” Judge said. “I’m excited to get going.”
Judge said the U.S. hockey teams’ success at the Winter Olympics helped catalyze the growing interest among baseball players in representing their country.
“I thought it was tremendous,” Judge said of the men’s and women’s teams. “It made me feel proud. That’s the same attitude I have about the WBC.”
He paused one final time. This time it was not to play it safe. It was to make sure his words landed.
“People are going to be talking about these games for years,” Judge said. “There’s a lot of pride involved. Baseball is a beautiful game, and we’re going to have a chance to showcase it to the world.”
