NEW YORK (AP) — Appointed U.S. captain for next year's World Baseball Classic, Aaron Judge will be playing for more than himself and his teammates.
“It’s something special getting a chance to represent our country,” the New York Yankees star said after manager Mark DeRosa's announcement Monday. “Just thinking about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and laid their lives down for us to get a chance to go out here, and especially me, to get a change to go out here and play a game, it’s a pretty humbling experience.”
DeRosa announced the appointment of the two-time American League Most Valuable Player four days after he was named U.S. manager for the second straight WBC.
“I got an opportunity before I get too old and Mark doesn’t want me anymore,” Judge said alongside DeRosa at a Yankee Stadium news conference.
Judge takes over from the Los Angeles Angels' Mike Trout, the U.S. captain at the 2023 tournament. The U.S. lost the 2023 championship game to Japan 3-2 as Shohei Ohtani struck out Trout, his then-Angels teammate, to end the game.
“I reached out to Trout yesterday, told him where we were going. He said, `He’s the one,'” DeRosa said.
Having just gone through free agency and being named the Yankees captain, Judge declined to play in the 2023 tournament.
“I felt like first my responsibility was to the Yankees,” Judge said. “I wanted to be a big part of getting the Yankees back where they need to be, so I felt I couldn’t miss that first spring training.”
Judge, who turns 33 on April 26, was the first player announced for the U.S. roster. The outfielder entered Monday hitting .357 with a major league-leading 20 RBIs and six home runs, tied for the big league high.
The U.S. is grouped with Britain, Brazil, Italy and Mexico in Group B of the first round of next year’s World Baseball Classic at Houston’s Minute Maid Park from March 6-11.
“Something happens when you put U-S-A across your chest and you walk into the dugout and you see all those games,” DeRosa said. “You’re playing for way more than yourself. You’re playing for your great-grandfather. You’re planning for your grandparents, your parents, what they represent, your morals, your values, everything.”
Judge said he did not give the Yankees advance notice of his selection.
"I think it's the perfect face to be the captain of Team USA," Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “Certainly one of the faces of the baseball. Such a magnetic personality that people gravitate to, that people around the game love and respect.”
Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who finished second to Judge in last year's AL MVP vote, hoped for an opportunity to play alongside Judge. Witt was on the 2023 U.S. team, but had just three plate appearances.
“You learn why those guys are All-Stars. You learn why they’re great players,” he said. “The work they put in, the preparation they do.”
The top two teams in each group advance to the quarterfinals on March 13 and 14, with teams from Groups A and B playing in Houston and nations emerging from Groups C and D meeting in Miami. The semifinals will be March 15 and 16 at Miami, which will be the site of the final on March 17.
Teams have been more reticent to allow starting pitchers to participate in the preseason tournament.
“From a position-player standpoint I could probably fill out five lineups with guys that want to do it,” DeRosa said. “It’ll be the pitching that we have to lock down.”
In 2023, the U.S. starting pitchers were Merrill Kelly, Lance Lynn, Nick Martinez and Adam Wainwright.
“I completely understand the nature of the investment and trying to keep these guys healthy and what’s important, but I also think that we can respect all those wishes and still have the best arms,” DeRosa said. “Ultimately the parent clubs control the usage, so we would certainly honor that. I think there’s a groundswell as more guys want to do it and kind of push the parent clubs to want to let them do it. There’s a way to make everyone feel comfortable, whether that’s bringing their own people with them or what have you for them to get their proper work in.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB
U.S. captain Aaron Judge and U.S. manager Mark DeRosa attend a news conference Monday, April 14, 2025, at Yankee Stadium, in New York. (AP Photo/Ron Blum)
Dallas (7-8-1) at N.Y. Giants (3-13)
Sunday, 1 p.m. EST, Fox
BetMGM NFL Odds: Cowboys by 3 1/2
Against the spread: Cowboys 7-9; Giants 7-8-1
Series record: Dallas leads 78-47-2.
Last week: Cowboys beat Commanders 30-23; Giants beat Raiders 34-10.
Last meeting: Dallas beat Washington 40-37 in OT on Sept. 14.
Cowboys offense: overall (1), rush (9), pass (1), scoring (4)
Cowboys defense: overall (30), rush (t20), pass (32), scoring (32)
Giants offense: overall (15), rush (6), pass (21), scoring (21)
Giants defense: overall (29), rush (30), pass (20), scoring (26)
Turnover differential: Cowboys minus-8; Giants minus-3
QB Dak Prescott has a 14-game winning streak against the Giants since two of his losses in a 13-3 rookie season in 2016 came against them. It’s the second-longest winning streak against a single opponent in NFL history behind Bob Griese, who beat Buffalo 17 consecutive times from 1968-79. Prescott will get credit for a Dallas victory because he is expected to start. The question is how long he will play in a finale with no playoff implications. Either way, this will go down as one of Prescott’s best seasons. He enters the final week first in the NFL with 4,482 yards passing.
WR Wan'Dale Robinson gets to put the finishing touches on his case for a new contract, either with the team that drafted him or elsewhere. Robinson last week became the first player 5-foot-8 or shorter to eclipse 1,000 yards receiving since 5-7 Richard Johnson in 1989 and just the third since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger. And he's playing against a Dallas secondary without Trevon Diggs, who was released on Tuesday.
Cowboys' offensive line vs. Giants' pass rush. New York's Brian Burns trails only Cleveland record-chasing Myles Garrett in sacks with a career-high 16 1/2, while rookie Abdul Carter has heated up with 3 1/2 over the past four games. Dallas would like to keep Prescott upright, no matter how long he plays.
Cowboys: RBs Javonte Williams (stinger) and Malik Davis (calf/eye) have been ruled out. The backs with a chance to be active have 54 career carries among them: FB Hunter Luepke (32) and rookies Jaydon Blue (22) and Phil Mafah (0). Mafah has been out all season with a shoulder injury, and is listed as questionable ... LB DeMarvion Overshown and rookie CB Shavon Revel have been dealing with concussions and won't play.
Giants: Two starters in the secondary are out: CB Cor'Dale Flott (knee) and S Jevon Holland (knee/concussion).
The Cowboys have won nine in a row against the Giants and 16 of the past 17. It's the longest active series in the league. Dallas' last winning streak this long was against Carolina from 1998-2012. ... Each team has been eliminated from playoff contention. ... The Cowboys are trying to avoid consecutive losing seasons for the first time since going 5-11 under coach Dave Campo from 2000-02. ... New York can still secure the top draft pick with a loss and Las Vegas victory against Kansas City or could drop as low as No. 7. ... This is expected to be interim coach Mike Kafka's final game with the Giants.
Cowboys WR George Pickens needs 80 yards receiving to reach 1,500 in his Dallas debut after the offseason trade from Pittsburgh. His only 1,000-yard season in three years with the Steelers came in 2023, when he had 1,140. … Ferguson needs one touchdown catch to tie the franchise tight end record of nine, held by Jason Witten and Billy Joe Dupree. … In their Week 2 game, K Brandon Aubrey had a tying 64-yard field goal on the final play of regulation and a winning 46-yarder as time expired in overtime in the 40-37 Dallas victory. ... Giants rookie QB Jaxson Dart has accounted for 22 TDs (13 passing and nine rushing) with just five interceptions, in his first 11 professional starts. ... Robinson led the team with 113 yards receiving at Las Vegas. He had 142 in Week 2 at Dallas, which was before top receiver Malik Nabers was knocked out for the season with a torn ACL in his right knee. ... LB Bobby Okereke intercepted Geno Smith and had seven tackles last week. ... CB Deonte Banks returned a kickoff 95 yards for a TD against the Raiders.
Daily fantasy players might be able to cash in if Giants RB Tyrone Tracy has another big game rushing and receiving.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/NFL
FILE - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Dak Prescott (4) is sacked by Kayvon Thibodeaux (5) during a NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)
FILE - Dallas Cowboys wide receiver George Pickens (3) carries the ball after reception during a NFL football game against the New York Giants on Sept. 14, 2025, in Arlington, Texas. (AP Photo/Matt Patterson, File)
