Yankees captain Judge vows to lead Team USA to gold in Classic: Time to rewrite the script

Aaron Judge can’t quite recall where he was, the details have grown hazy. But he vividly remembers the feeling when Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to end the 2023 World Baseball Classic final.

“Now it’s time to go out there and rewrite that script,” Judge said Saturday after the Yankees’ 5-1 spring training win over the Blue Jays.

Ten months after committing to play for Team USA and being named the squad’s first player and captain, Judge is finally ready to chase the gold medal.

Along with Yankees teammates David Bednar and Paul Goldschmidt on the U.S. roster, Judge will head to Scottsdale, Arizona, for a few exhibition games against the Giants and Rockies. Pool play begins March 6 against Brazil at Houston’s Minute Maid Park. Many players cite the Classic as a career highlight, something Judge hears often.

“They say it’s playoff atmosphere from the first pitch, but others say it helps them get ready for the season faster,” Judge said. “It’s intense competition; you’re playing for your country.”

“The experience alone is incredible, and I don’t think there’s a better way to prepare for a season,” added Bednar, who also played for Team USA in 2023. “You’re locked in from Game One.”

The Yankees’ presence in the tournament is widespread. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Brendan Beck will join Great Britain, while Austin Wells, Camilo Doval, and Amed Rosario will represent the Dominican Republic.

“I’ve never been exposed to professional baseball outside the Yankees,” Wells said. “So I’m looking forward to going out, hearing from those guys, and maybe bringing some good things back.”

Fernando Cruz and Elmer Rodríguez will pitch for Puerto Rico, Harrison Cohen will play for Israel, and José Caballero will suit up for Panama, including in Wednesday’s exhibition against the Yankees at Steinbrenner Field.

“Representing your country on baseball’s biggest stage is a special moment,” Caballero said. “I’m extremely proud for myself, my family and friends back home. They’ll all be watching us in the tournament.”

Several Yankees coaches and veterans are also involved, including bench coach Brad Ausmus (Israel manager), catching coach Tanner Swanson (Great Britain bench coach), Andy Pettitte (Team USA pitching coach), Francisco Cervelli (Italy manager), and Jorge Posada (Italy hitting coach).

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said such broad participation is a positive sign.

“Wish them all the best,” Cashman said. “If you have good players, those countries want them. If we have a lot of guys leaving, it just means we have a lot of good players.”

If Judge and Team USA advance to the championship game on March 17 at Miami’s LoanDepot Park, they’d return to camp with about a week left before Opening Day. The atmosphere in Tampa will be different, with many players sharing hugs as they departed Friday. But it will also create more opportunities for others to showcase themselves.

“I’m looking forward to following the tournament,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It’s going to be a great event. These guys come in ready; they’ve put in a ton of work over the winter, setting the stage for this. It’s a great thing for baseball.”

Judge said he’ll enjoy the experience and looks forward to being around stars like Bryce Harper, Bobby Witt Jr., and Cal Raleigh. He told his Yankees teammates to stay in touch with calls and texts, but maybe it’s unnecessary since they’ll all be watching anyway.

“I’m as excited as I was the day I committed,” Judge said. “It’s going to be fun. The guys are already fired up; it’s time to get to work.”