Yankees’ Aaron Boone reveals Aaron Judge plan before World Baseball Classic

Aaron Judge is set to represent the US in the World Baseball Classic. Team USA is pulling out all the stops this time around, assembling the best team they can to reclaim the title. However, the New York Yankees star has a few nagging injuries that could hamper his play. In particular, Judge suffered from an elbow injury that hindered him towards the end of the 2025 season.

Thankfully, Judge is doing well in his recovery before the WBC starts in March. Yankees manager Aaron Boone outlined his team’s plan for Judge before the tournament.

“Boone said Judge is scheduled to play in “four or five” of the Yankees’ first nine Grapefruit League games and will be built up to six innings before leaving the club to join Team USA on March 1 ahead of the World Baseball Classic,” Jorge Castillo reported for ESPN. “Judge and the Yankees’ other WBC participants are on an accelerated timeline in preparation for the tournament, facing live pitching earlier and going through more rigorous workout days than normal for mid-February.”

Judge suffered a flexor strain in his right elbow late in the 2025 season. The injury limited the Yankees outfielder’s ability to throw the ball. Judge was on the injured list for a few days, but returned shortly after as a designated hitter. Judge proceeded to split time between the outfield and as a DH, though his throwing was still clearly limited. Considered as one of the best outfield defenders in the league, the Yankees star’s inability to throw the ball was a huge blow to the team.

After resting and recovering in the offseason, it’s time to see if Judge has recovered well enough. The Yankees star will join a star-studded Team USA lineup that includes new teammate Paul Goldschmidt, Los Angeles Dodgers’ Mookie Betts, Pittsburgh Pirates’ Paul Skenes, and Kansas City Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. Boone said that he expects Judge to play in the outfield primarily as the right fielder, while also getting some burn at DH.

Team USA’s last appearance in the World Baseball Classic was in 2023, where they lost to Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan in the finals.

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