Following the Team USA elimination in the World Baseball Classic 2026, Aaron Judge has already reported to the New York Yankees Spring Training, although manager Aaron Boone has a clear plan for his star player heading into the MLB 2026 season.
Reports from Spring Training indicate that Judge has rejoined the team and was seen taking batting practice with the Yankees, but Boone chose not to include him in the March 19 lineup.
Aaron Boone’s plan for Aaron Judge
Everything suggests that Boone wants to carefully manage Aaron Judge’s workload. The Yankees slugger logged heavy at-bats during the World Baseball Classic, but the organization is focused on avoiding fatigue with Opening Day 2026 just days away.
Aaron Judge returns to the New York Yankees roster after a tournament where he had standout moments, although many believe he underperformed in the WBC final, where Team USA fell short.
The reality is that the USA baseball offense struggled as a whole in the championship game, not just Judge, failing to deliver in key moments on the international stage.
For now, the Yankees’ priority is to give their two-time AL MVP rest so he can regain rhythm ahead of the MLB Opening Day matchup in San Francisco on March 25, where expectations for Aaron Judge in 2026 remain sky-high.
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