Aaron Judge hails World Baseball Classic crowds as 'bigger and better than the World Series'

All-Stars and future Hall of Famers thrilled fans in a semifinal matchup between the U.S. and Dominican Republic.

Mar. 16, 2026 at 3:37pm

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In a semifinal game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, U.S. captain Aaron Judge proclaimed the tournament had grown into the sport's biggest event, with the crowd and atmosphere exceeding even the World Series. The game featured 17 All-Stars and was decided by a dramatic final pitch, with the U.S. overcoming an early deficit to win 2-1 over the Dominican Republic.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic has steadily gained prominence as a premier international baseball competition, showcasing the sport's top talent and generating immense excitement from fans around the world. Judge's comments highlight how the tournament has surpassed even the storied World Series in terms of atmosphere and passion, underscoring its growing significance in the global baseball landscape.

The details

The semifinal matchup between the U.S. and Dominican Republic featured a star-studded lineup, with 17 All-Stars and players who had won a combined 5 MVP awards, 1 Cy Young, 5 Rookie of the Year awards, and 3 batting titles. The game came down to the final pitch, with the U.S. overcoming an early 1-0 deficit on home runs by Gunnar Henderson and Roman Anthony. Stellar defensive plays by Aaron Judge, Julio Rodríguez, and Bobby Witt highlighted the high-intensity action.

  • The 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinal game took place on March 16, 2026.

The players

Aaron Judge

The captain of the U.S. team and star outfielder for the New York Yankees, who proclaimed the World Baseball Classic had surpassed the World Series in terms of crowd size and atmosphere.

Bryce Harper

A star player on the U.S. team and outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies.

Juan Soto

A star player on the Dominican Republic team and outfielder for the San Diego Padres.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

A star player on the Dominican Republic team and first baseman for the Toronto Blue Jays.

Mark DeRosa

The manager of the U.S. team.

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What they’re saying

“The World Series I was in, the crowd here, the crowd we had when we played against Mexico, it's bigger and better than the World Series. The passion that these fans have, representing their country, representing some of their favorite players, there's nothing like it.”

— Aaron Judge, U.S. team captain

“Just a game we'll remember forever, right? We understood this was going to be a talked-about game, probably one of the most watched games of all time.”

— Mark DeRosa, U.S. team manager

“The whole world saw in two teams some of the best players in the game.”

— Albert Pujols, Dominican Republic team manager

What’s next

The U.S. team will face the winner of the Venezuela-Italy semifinal in the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game.

The takeaway

The 2026 World Baseball Classic has cemented its status as a premier international baseball event, surpassing even the World Series in terms of fan excitement and passion. The tournament's ability to bring together the sport's top talent and generate an unmatched atmosphere underscores its growing significance in the global baseball landscape.