Aaron Judge, who captained Team USA to the World Baseball Classic final, has defended his passion for the game after a disappointing loss to Venezuela in an elimination game. Judge returned to Yankees camp on Thursday and was in the lineup for the first time since captaining Team USA. Despite the loss, Judge remains hopeful about returning to the field and building towards a championship with the team. He also expressed his desire to play in the next time Team USA plays, potentially in the 2028 Olympics or the next WBC. Judge posted a.845 OPS with two home runs across seven games in the WBC, despite finishing with a 0-for-4 with three strikeouts in the final against Venezuela. He expressed his excitement about the atmosphere for the WBA and expressed a desire to return to playing in front of crowds like he did in the World Series.