New York Yankees MVP Predicted to Represent USA Team in 2028 Olympics
![Aug 11, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts in the dugout after his solo home run during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium. Aug 11, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees center fielder Aaron Judge (99) reacts in the dugout after his solo home run during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium.](https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/upload/c_crop,w_5518,h_3103,x_0,y_261/c_fill,w_720,ar_16:9,f_auto,q_auto,g_auto/images/ImagnImages/mmsport/inside_the_pinstripes/01j51yvb8ehqzbg7tsqd.jpg)
The New York Yankees got a much-needed win on Sunday, taking the series against the Texas Rangers. They did so behind the bats of Aaron Judge and Juan Soto once again as the sluggers both left the yard. Soto hit two home runs, and Judge hit one, his 42nd of the season.
For Judge, it's been as good of a year as he could've ever imagined. Although 2022 will go down in baseball history due to breaking the American League home run record, what he's done in this campaign might be even more impressive.
Watching him at the plate, he looks more locked in than ever. He's currently slashing .323/.458/.689 with a 217 OPS+. All of those numbers are better than what he produced in 2022.
It doesn't look like the Yankee star will slow down anytime soon. For New York, that's exactly what they need. If his bat ever goes quiet, the chances of them winning a World Series are likely below zero.
He's said multiple times that his biggest goal in Pinstripes is to win a World Series. All the MVP's, Silver Slugger Awards, All-Star selections, and other accolades don't mean as much to him.
However, there might be one exception. Major League Baseball is expected to allow its players to play in the 2028 Olympics, and Judge would likely be one of the first players selected, even in four years.
Unless something drastic changes in his game, Judge is all but guaranteed to be there. Dayn Perry of CBP Sports believes the same.
Perry predicted the 2028 Olympics roster, listing Judge as a starting outfielder.
"Yes, Judge is going to be a bit long in the tooth by baseball standards come 2028, but the best home run hitter in baseball gets a nod thanks to his enthusiasm for playing in the Olympics and his star power.
"Since his 30th birthday on April 26, 2022, the California slugger has an OPS north of 1.100, and he's racked up 137 homers in 363 games. In other words, he's been better than he's ever been and as such hasn't shown the faintest hint of a decline phase. We'll bet he's still a force by the time the Games come to L.A."
A lot can change in a couple of years, but even if he does slow down a bit, it should be a respect thing at that point of his career to give him the nod.