Appointed U.S. captain for next year’s World Baseball Classic, Aaron Judge will be playing for more than himself and his teammates.

“It’s something special getting a chance to represent our country,” the New York Yankees star said after manager Mark DeRosa’s announcement Monday. “Just thinking about all the brave men and women that have fought for this country and laid their lives down for us to get a chance to go out here, and especially me, to get a change to go out here and play a game, it’s a pretty humbling experience.”

DeRosa announced the appointment of the two-time American League MVP four days after he was named U.S. manager for the second straight WBC.

Judge takes over from the Angels’ Mike Trout, the U.S. captain at the 2023 tournament.

Having just gone through free agency and being named the Yankees captain, Judge declined to play in the 2023 tournament.

Judge was the first player announced for the U.S. roster.

Former big leaguer Helms dies: Tommy Helms, the slick-fielding infielder for the Cincinnati Reds who was the 1966 NL Rookie of the Year, has died. He was 83.

The Reds Hall of Fame and Museum said Helms’ wife, Cathy, told the organization that her husband died on Sunday. The cause of death was not provided.

Helms was known more for his glove than his bat in 1,435 games over 14 seasons. He was an All-Star in 1967-68 and won Gold Gloves as the National League’s top-fielding second baseman in 1970-71, years in which he and shortstop Dave Concepcion formed the best double-play combination in the game.

Helms, who debuted in 1964, split time between short and second base in 1967 and became the full-time second baseman in 1968. He had been a fixture in the Reds’ lineup before becoming part of the blockbuster trade with Houston that brought Joe Morgan, César Gerónimo and Jack Billingham to the Reds in November 1971.