'We Had a Blast,' Aaron Judge Refutes Claims That USA Didn't Have Fun at WBC

In the wake of Team USA's 3-2 loss to Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic finals, New York Yankees outfielder and Team USA captain Aaron Judge refuted the notion that his team didn't have fun in the tournament.

"Everybody's different. Every culture is different," Judge said Friday, per Chris Kirschner of The Athletic. "I loved everything that Mexico was doing, what Great Britain was doing, the D.R., with how they celebrate the game and how their fans celebrate the game. That was amazing.

"If they're going to say we don't have the passion—my passion is grinding in this cage when nobody's watching, grinding as a six-year-old in the backyard with my dad. That's where our passion came from as kids. If I don't show it really like that, it doesn't mean I don't love the game. I can't really talk on somebody else's opinion about it. Everybody in that clubhouse, every single one of those guys, that's probably the most fun they've ever had playing the game the past two or three weeks, myself included.

"We had a lot of fun. We had some passion. You saw some emotion from guys you usually don't see showing emotion. We had a blast."

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong also had some comments on any critics who felt the Americans might be too reserved or stoic.

"I'm having a blast out there, I think it's hilarious," Crow-Armstrong said earlier this week, per Bob Nightengale of USA Today. "I just think we pick our spots. Like, I think you guys would think it's silly if we all shuffled like [Juan] Soto, or did Vladdy's [Guerrero] little wiggle, but that's them. And if I had enough swag to do that, I'd probably do that too."

"We have fun in our own way, but we are definitely having fun out there."

During the WBC, Italy had an espresso machine in the dugout, and home run hitters enjoyed shots of the beverage after they returned. The Dominican Republic also had a customized home run jacket and incredible celebrations as well.

The U.S. didn't have anything like that. However, they didn't exactly seem miserable out there, either. Team USA showed some emotion and American pride when they wore game-worn jerseys from the USA men's hockey team, which just won Olympic gold in February, leading into the final game.

The bats largely went format in the final en route to the loss, but Team USA still had a good showing overall, going 5-2 and nearly winning its second-ever WBC title. USA and Venezuela were tied at two in the ninth inning, but Eugenio Suárez's RBI double proved to be the difference.

Now attention turns toward the MLB regular season, which begins Wednesday when the Yankees visit the San Francisco Giants. Most of the rest of the league begins their season on Thursday.