Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes are set to carry Team USA’s biggest hopes at the upcoming World Baseball Classic. With Shohei Ohtani leading a strong Team Japan, the pressure is already building. Team USA manager Mark DeRosa knows stopping Shohei Ohtani will not be easy, and his focus is clear.MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reported that DeRosa is looking at Judge and Skenes as the core of Team USA’s plan. DeRosa said, “When we had Aaron Judge from a position-player standpoint and Paul Skenes from a pitching standpoint, the two pillars were in a place to build off.” For Team USA, everything now flows through those two names.
Aaron Judge and Paul Skenes carry Team USA’s biggest responsibility
Aaron Judge is expected to handle both leadership and performance. The New York Yankees captain can play right field and center field, giving Team USA flexibility. Other outfielders like Corbin Carroll and Byron Buxton usually stay in one spot. Aaron Judge also brings power. Last season, he played 159 games and hit 53 home runs with 114 RBIs. His two-run homer against the Baltimore Orioles in April showed he can change a game fast. Paul Skenes brings the same impact on the mound. The Pittsburgh Pirates ace has become one of the most feared pitchers in baseball. His fastball, slider, and sweeper make hitters uncomfortable. Last season, he struck out nine Los Angeles Dodgers hitters in 6⅓ innings in a 3–0 win. Over 32 games, he recorded 216 strikeouts with a 1.97 ERA. He also made history by winning the National League Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Award in back-to-back seasons, according to official MLB records. Still, this will be the first World Baseball Classic for both Judge and Skenes. On the other side stands Shohei Ohtani, who already knows how to win this stage. In the 2023 final, Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to seal a 3–2 win over Team USA.Team USA does have depth, with players like Clayton Kershaw, Alex Bregman, Kyle Schwarber, Tarik Skubal, Bobby Witt Jr., and Cal Raleigh. But one key absence stands out. Cody Bellinger chose not to play after signing a five-year, $162.5 million deal with the Yankees. He said, “I owe it to the Steinbrenner family and the Yankee organization to go and give my best foot forward and try and win a championship.”With Cody Bellinger out, the spotlight grows brighter on Judge and Skenes as they prepare to face Ohtani and Team Japan.