Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal throws during workouts at spring training on Feb. 19 in Lakeland, Fla. (AP photo)

Aaron Judge is trading pinstripes for a plain jersey with red, white and blue letters.

“Getting the chance to wear that across my chest is going to be pretty powerful,” the U.S. and New York Yankees captain said of the World Baseball Classic. “I think a lot of people have a lot of pride for their country.”

After losing 3-2 in the 2023 final when Japan’s Shohei Ohtani ended the game by striking out Mike Trout, the U.S. will be trying for its first championship since 2017 when 20 nations compete for the sixth championship that started Thursday. The Americans’ opener is today against Brazil in Houston.

Australia was playing Taiwan at the Tokyo Dome in the opener, and action starts today in Houston, Miami and San Juan, Puerto Rico. The final again will be at Miami on March 17.

A much-improved pitching staff for the U.S. includes Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal and Mason Miller, and the batting order likely will include Judge, Cal Raleigh, Kyle Schwarber and Bobby Witt Jr.

Having watched the last two tournaments, Skenes has hoped to receive an invite from U.S. manager Mark DeRosa.

“When DeRo called, it was like, just, ‘Yeah, I’m in. You don’t need to talk me into this or anything,'” said Skenes, who played two seasons at Air Force Academy before transferring to LSU. “It was a quick yes.”

Players have been in contact with each other long before reporting this week.

“The group chat’s been firing away for the last couple of months,” Philadelphia’s Bryce Harper said.

Rotation boost

Logan Webb is slated to start the Americans’ opener today, followed by Skubal on Saturday against Britain, Skenes vs. Mexico on Monday and top Mets prospect Nolan McLean against Italy on March 10.

The foursome has a combined 19.8 Baseball Reference WAR last season. The Americans’ four starters in 2023, Adam Wainwright, Nick Martinez, Lance Lynn and Merrill Kelly, combined for a 7.8 the previous season.

Skubal intends to make one start, then return to the Tigers.

A pitcher is limited to 65 pitches in first-round games, 80 in a quarterfinal and 95 in a semifinal or final. If a player throws more than 50 pitches in an outing, he can’t pitch for the next four days. If he throws more than 30, he can’t pitch the next day. No one may pitch three days in a row.

Japan’s repeat

Japan is trying to win its fourth title and become only the second repeat champion after the 2006 and 2009 Samurai Warriors.

Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto have some experience at consecutive titles after helping last year’s Los Angeles Dodgers become the first repeat World Series champion since the 1998-2000 Yankees won three in a row.

“Going back to back, that is our only goal,” Yamamoto said through a translator.

Yamamoto, the World Series MVP, is scheduled to start Japan’s opener against Taiwan today. Los Angeles is allowing him to pitch for Japan after he threw 211 innings last year, including the postseason.

Star-filled Dominicans

Seeking its first title since its only previous win in 2013, the Dominican Republic has a roster that includes six players who finished among the top 10 in MVP voting last year: Junior Caminero, Jeremy Peña. Geraldo Perdomo, Julio Rodríguez, Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Manny Machado and Ketel Marte also are on a roster that includes pitchers Sandy Alcantara and Cristopher Sánchez.

“It can be a headache also because you have so much talent. You wish that you can make everybody happy,” Dominican manager Albert Pujols said. “The Dominican Republic has been blessed with so many talent.”

Venezuela, with the Dominicans in Group D, is led by Ronald Acuña Jr., Jackson Chourio, Eugenio Suárez and William and Willson Contreras.

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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb