Team USA baseball captain Aaron Judge stated the men's and women's ice hockey teams' recent gold medal victories have significantly motivated his squad ahead of the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Judge shared on "The Pat McAfee Show" that the hockey team's success, particularly Jack Hughes' game-winning goal, was a major talking point among his teammates.
"Boys were fired up," Judge said, describing how the hockey achievements have created a "snowball effect" of excitement. "Now, it’s WBC, we get the chance to throw on the red, white, and blue and copy what they did."
Judge, the New York Yankees MVP, is aiming to lead the U.S. to victory after a silver medal finish in the 2023 WBC. First baseman Bryce Harper, also on the WBC team, echoed Judge's sentiment, emphasizing the pride and unity of representing the United States.
Harper, who missed the previous WBC due to surgery, expressed his excitement to wear the Stars and Stripes again. "I learned when I was young, when you put U.S. on our hats, it’s about us," Harper explained, highlighting the collective spirit of the team.
Team USA opens its WBC schedule against Brazil on March 6 in Houston, Texas.