Bryce Harper stirs speculation with unclear answer about teaming up with Aaron Judge at 2026 WBC
Bryce Harper is one of the top American-born players in Major League Baseball. The Las Vegas native has been destined for baseball greatness since he was a child still learning the game. Since his debut in 2012, Harper has been one of the most popular players in the game, accomplishing nearly everything an individual player can.
That being said, despite his status as one of the best American players in the game, his future representing that country during the 2026 World Baseball Classic remains up in the air. Despite Team USA finishing second place in the 2023 WBC, Bryce Harper was rather non-committal to donning the team's uniform next year.
In a piece by Scott Lauber of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Harper remained rather uncertain about his intentions of lining up alongside the likes of Team USA captain Aaron Judge for the WBC.
"We'll see... I just want to figure out this year and we’ll go from there,” Harper explained.
There is still a realistic chance that Harper decides to commit to the 2026 World Baseball Classic roster, however, Team USA will have no shortage of star first basemen who could step up. Both Pete Alonso and Matt Olson are two world-class sluggers who could round out what will likely be a star-studded roster for Team USA, which is looking for their first WBC title since 2017.
Bryce Harper says that the 2028 Summer Olympics are his priority
Harper may not have given a firm yes or no answer about whether he will take part in the 2026 World Baseball Classic; however, his eyes are focused on a different international competition. After it was announced that baseball would be included in the 2028 Summer Olympics, Harper made it clear that it is something that he would love to be a part of.
“The Olympics is the goal,” Harper explained.
Earlier this week, it was announced that Dodger Stadium would serve as a host venue for baseball during the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. It makes sense that the home of the Los Angeles Dodgers would host the Olympic baseball games, and if they allow the biggest stars in the world to participate, it could be one of the most popular events.
It remains to be seen if MLB stars will be able to participate in the event, however, both Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper are some of the most notable superstars pushing for their eligibility.