NEW YORK — The Yankees’ final day off before Aaron Judge’s long-awaited return brought several members of the club to the US Open in Queens. The captain’s appearance was a celebration of his impending comeback. Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s arrival generated a different kind of attention.
Chisholm walked the blue carpet Monday in an unconventional outfit that quickly became the subject of social-media jokes and criticism. The reaction competed with coverage of Judge, who attended with his wife, Samantha Bracksieck, and other Yankees players enjoying a rare night away from baseball.
The Yankees second baseman’s clothing drew the sharpest online responses from some fans, but the available reporting does not establish a team dispute, a disciplinary issue or a broader backlash beyond the social-media reaction. No explanation from Chisholm about the outfit has been verified.
Judge and teammates draw a crowd in Queens
The outing itself was a sizable Yankees presence at the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center. The tournament’s official celebrity gallery confirms appearances by Judge and Bracksieck, Chisholm, Cody Bellinger and his wife, Chase Carter Bellinger, Ben Rice, Spencer Jones, George Lombard Jr., Clarke Schmidt and José Caballero.
Judge and Bracksieck watched Coco Gauff defeat fellow American Iva Jovic 6-1, 6-4 at Arthur Ashe Stadium. Jones and Lombard also attended the match, with Lombard accompanied by his mother, Judy. The appearance marked a different kind of public introduction for the Yankees’ young players during a season in which both have moved into prominent major league roles.
The night carried added significance for Judge. The Yankees reinstated him from the 60-day injured list Monday, clearing him to play Tuesday against the Rockies. He had not appeared in a game since May 31 because of a right rib stress fracture.
Judge skipped a minor league rehab assignment after progressing through batting practice, high-velocity pitching machines and pitch-tracking work. His return gives manager Aaron Boone a major offensive reinforcement for the final 19 games of the regular season.
The Yankees enter Tuesday at 81-62, four games behind Tampa Bay in the AL East and two games ahead of Boston for the top American League wild-card position. That competitive context explains why the club’s off-day appearance drew interest beyond the usual celebrity photographs.
The shirt that turned a night out into a meme
Jazz Chsiholm triggered another controversy with his outfit.
The 28-year-old second baseman walked the blue carpet at Louis Armstrong Stadium in a light-colored T-shirt bearing the slogan “I’m a virgin.” He paired it with a small purple-striped vest and shorts decorated with handprint graphics. The unusual layering left the shirt’s message prominently visible.
The wording became the immediate focus when footage of Chisholm posing for photographers circulated online. A New York Post Sports video helped spread the look. The shorts then gave commenters another detail to scrutinize. Chisholm has not provided a verified explanation of what he intended by wearing the shirt.
The reaction included a blunt assessment from @DingerKingBets: “Humiliation ritual”
Another user, @statusmvp, focused on the shorts rather than the slogan: “Everyone focused on the shirt?? The pockets on those shorts have hand prints for someone who has 15 fingers…🐦⬛.”
A third commenter questioned the cost and appearance of the outfit. “All that money to look like a bum… I don’t get it 😕,” he wrote.
One fan offered professional fashion advice: “Get the dude a stylist 😭.”
X User @bogaertsgoat gave a longer assessment: “Hating aside this is genuinely one of the worst fits I’ve ever seen.”
Account @grecianfive responded with a joke about the shirt’s slogan: “My culture is not a costume.”
Another account, @owndodgerhaters, dismissed the look in shorter terms. “Massively corny individual”
These posts document individual opinions, not a representative survey of Yankees fans. They do not establish that Chisholm violated a team rule or that the Yankees objected to his clothing. No verified statement from Chisholm, Aaron Boone or the club has connected the outfit to a clubhouse issue.
Chisholm’s season gives the outrage a different context
Chisholm is desperate for his Yankees extension after the season.
Chisholm’s uneven season gives the off-field attention a baseball backdrop. Through Sept. 7, MLB’s official statistics list him at .230 with 19 home runs, 55 RBIs, 40 stolen bases and a .713 OPS in 133 games.
He reached 40 steals Aug. 30 against Boston. One more home run would give him a second career season with at least 20 homers and 40 steals. He previously reached that combination in 2024, when he finished with 24 homers and 40 steals.
The infielder is approaching free agency after the season. The Yankees will evaluate his production, defense and contract value when determining their plans at second base. His outfit is not evidence of how the club will approach those decisions.
The Yankees open their series against Colorado at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, with Cam Schlittler scheduled to face Gabriel Hughes. Judge is expected to return to the lineup after his lengthy absence.
No verified response from Chisholm, Boone or the club has established that the US Open criticism has affected the Yankees’ roster plans or clubhouse. The documented issue remains an off-field fashion reaction as New York resumes its postseason push.
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