Aaron Judge, the New York Yankees captain and former AL MVP, is undoubtedly the face of MLB and baseball across the globe. His meteoric rise from a rookie to a sensational home run king is well-documented and commendable. This year as well, Judge is rewriting history with extraordinary offensive form.
Having said that, despite being an MLB legend in the making, Aaron Judge never had any opportunity to represent his country, the United States of America, on a global stage. While the World Baseball Classic is surely a realistic option, Judge is apparently eyeing a much bigger stage if given an opportunity.
Aaron Judge Advocates Baseball’s Inclusion In 2028 LA Olympics
The 2024 Paris Olympics is an absolute hit as the USA has won over 100 medals already, with the much-anticipated basketball finals scheduled for later in the day. However, with the next edition of the Olympics set to be hosted by Los Angeles in 2028, MLB players have come together to vocalize their support for the inclusion of baseball. Baseball was the last part of the Olympics in Tokyo, where Japan beat the USA to clinch the gold medal. Moreover, with the host country having better ties with the sport and the IOC, baseball is highly likely to be back on the slate for 2028. Meanwhile, New York Yankees captain Aaron Judge has expressed his strong interest in featuring at the Olympics as a part of Team USA.
“I’d love to play. If they give us the opportunity. I don’t know what the ruling [is] or [if] anything has come out about that,” Aaron Judge said. Notably, Judge is not the only one to advocate for the inclusion of baseball in the 2028 LA Olympics. Bryce Harper and Shohei Ohtani are some of the significant names who joined the campaign. Having said that, Judge’s involvement in the campaign adds a significant voice to the push for baseball’s inclusion. As one of MLB’s biggest stars, his endorsement brings attention to the sport’s potential to captivate audiences worldwide. Hence, if baseball is included in the 2028 Olympics, it could have a lasting impact on the sport’s global reach and popularity. The opportunity to see stars like Aaron Judge competing on an international stage could inspire a new generation of players and fans.
Judge Is On The Cusp To Deliver A Career Best Season
If you think the 2022 season was Aaron Judge’s peak year in MLB, the New York Yankees captain is set to raise the bar this year and prove the doubters wrong. As of this writing, Judge’s batting average (.322), OBP (.456), slugging (.701), and OPS+ (219) are all career highs. And the home run mark has also touched 41 in 111 games.
At this pace, Aaron Judge is expected to shatter the 62-home run record set by him in 2022. Not only that, the Yankees captain is the favorite to win his career-first Triple Crown and a second AL MVP award. Of course, Judge will be required to come around in the postseason as well, and consistency will ultimately be the key.
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