Controversy loves Jazz Chisholm Jr., and every time, as it feels like he has had enough, a new one arises out of nowhere. He makes controversial acts on the field, takes on the umpires, and makes some silly defense errors, but this time, he hasn’t done any. But how could the Yankees fans be kept away without a limelight on the controversy’s favorite child?

The Yankees won against the Rangers on Wednesday, and Chisholm was guarding second base. Just when everything seemed fine, eagle-eyed fans didn’t miss Chisholm’s unusual cleats that looked like an AirPod! Questions were raised, and Chisholm replied in his typical style.

“I think that’s not smart at all,”

the Yankees slugger said. “I think no umpire would let it go through. No coach would let that happen. You know what I mean? I just feel like … and you would have seen a phone in my back pocket or something. I mean, AirPods don’t reach that far. If you guys love me that much, s—. I don’t mind it. I have no problem with it.”

Chisholm’s Instagram story shows he had a cotton ball stuffed in his right ear. Reason? Chisholm took a hit from a grounder on Monday. Josh Smith smoked a ground ball, and when Chisholm tried stopping the ball, it kicked off his glove and hit him in the head. His right ear took a minor hit, but the earache remained. “It gave me an earache for like three or four days,” he said.

So, on Wednesday before the game, Chisholm came up with his own DIY solution: stuffing a cotton wad into his ear canal. We are not sure if that worked or not, but it surely gave birth to another controversy. His cotton wad was mistaken for an AirPod, and the first post raising the question already racked up 381,000 views.

Chisholm had no other way but to respond to the critics in his own way. He added he “barely hears anything out of my right ear” since Monday.

However, Chisholm was seen donning an AirPod in the clubhouse on Friday. According to him, he kept that in a noise cancellation mode to comfort his ringing ear, and it worked. “Right now,” he said, “I’m feeling better. … My right ear was ringing for like three days.”

So, anything it could be but an AirDrop? No chance. MLB allows pitchers and catchers to use pitchcoms to call pitches. The pitcher and up to five defensive players can wear a receiver in their caps to hear the call.

Still, despite Chisholm staying on the safe side here, his on-field numbers have yet to make noise for him.

Jazz Chisholm is yet to be at his best this year

Jazz Chisholm is currently hitting .205 and has belted 3 homers this season, which is anything but his 50-50 season target. In contrast, Chisholm’s 2026 resume includes some of the weirdest errors in the field.

Last month, against the Marlins, Chisholm failed to charge a routine ground ball hit by Otto Lopez in the ninth inning. He took his time with the throw to first, allowing Lopez to reach on an infield single and sparking a Marlins rally. Even the Yankees manager publicly noted that Chisholm “laid back on it” and needed to be more aware of the runner’s speed.

Then, against the Astros, Chisholm requested an ABS challenge on a 3-2 pitch that was shown to be dead center in the strike zone. The move led to widespread ridicule and a post-game pledge from Chisholm to “fine himself” $1,000 for the mistake. So, he is yet to showcase his worth, at least as per his 30-30 season last year.

The Yankees, with a 21-11 record, are too comfortable to think about Chisholm’s rough phase presently, but it could prove fatal as the season heads deep.