Aaron Judge had a solid performance with a .250 average and one home run, but one of the biggest moments came when 17-year-old pitcher Joseph Contreras managed to get the better of him from the mound while Team USA had the bases loaded. The team captain later admitted the young arm has plenty to offer.
The report on Judge’s comments came from Javier Gonzalez on X (@astros_coverage): “An impressed Aaron Judge, facing Cuban talent Joseph Contreras, says he felt very poised on the mound, taking on guys he had probably only ever seen on TV in his life. ‘He has big things,’ he affirmed.”
Contreras looked sharp during the game against Brazil vs. Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, even though Brazil lost 15–5. The young pitcher delivered five pitches over 97 MPH during the 1.1 innings he worked on the mound, allowing just one earned run.
Contreras happy to play in the WBC
Contreras is one of the arms Brazil will rely on in the World Baseball Classic, but it’s also worth noting that he is the son of former MLB pitcher Jose Contreras, who spent 11 years in the majors with a 4.57 career ERA and debuted with the New York Yankees in 2003.
“My dad played for a very, very long time, and he never got to play in this [WBC],” Joseph said before facing Judge and United States national baseball team. “That reminds me of the magnitude of this event, and I’m just happy to make the most of it.”
There is still plenty left to see from Contreras in the tournament, but he has already earned praise from many observers. Francys Romero wrote on X (@francysromerofr): “One of the most impressive things you will see in this World Baseball Classic. The incredible matchup between a high school kid and MVPs and All-Stars. Joseph Contreras has a bright future.”