“Once a Yankee, always a Yankee, except when we’re playing [against] them,” Jose Trevino exclaimed after the Cincinnati Reds handed another series loss to his former team, the New York Yankees. Even when he was playing for the Yanks, manager Aaron Boone would always heap huge praise on the former Yankees’ catcher. However, when the Reds faced an out-of-form Yankees, Cincinnati did defeat Aaron Judge’s team, but it was Trevino’s cheeky move on the diamond that had everyone talking.

In December 2024, the Yankees sent him to Cincinnati. By March 2025, Trevino had signed a $15 million, three-year contract till 2027. And on the Yankees’ first trip to Cincinnati this season, he decided to play a prank on his ex-teammates. First, the 32-year-old catcher stepped up at the plate on Judge’s walk-up song “Hello” by Pop Smoke on Monday night. Even Judge had to tip his cap to Trevino’s little stunt.

As it was not enough, the Reds’ catcher used Alice in Chains’ “Rooster” when facing Carlos Rodon from the mound. The Yankees’ ace also had a great reaction during that moment. While Trevino insisted it was all in good fun with his former teammates, many took it as subtle trolling. But to clear the air once and for all, the ex-Yankee has finally stepped forward to reveal what really went into choosing those walk-up songs.

After the series, in a candid conversation with MLB Network, Trevino shared his thoughts behind those acts. “To be honest, I was thinking about it just because I have a ton of respect for the guys over there.” Jose Trevino explained, “I wanted to honor them, and it was not kind of to troll them. We had some special moments there… together as teammates.” 

And he has more on his fun playlist, but he couldn’t because “people started saying, ‘oh you’re trolling them, making fun of them.’ But that’s not what I was doing.” It was all friendly. And even Aaron Judge loved it!

Post-game, Judge was asked about Trevino choosing his walk-out song. He really “loved it.” Well, the pranks were indeed a lighthearted way to celebrate the camaraderie forged in the dugout.

But coming to the series, apart from Jose Trevino, the Reds came out swinging. They won the first two games, 6–1 and 5–4 in extra innings, thanks to Elly De La Cruz’s amazing performance in game one, when he hit a home run, a triple, and three RBIs. New York won the last game 7–1 and avoided the sweep.

But Trevino’s competitive spirit didn’t end with the walk-up songs. It spilled onto the field, which led to a tense ejection.

Prank that backfired? Trevino sparks Chisholm’s ejection

The joke reached its peak late in Tuesday’s 5–4 game in 11 innings, when Jazz Chisholm Jr. lost it after being called out for a strike on a 2–0 pitch. While Chisholm was taking warm-up grounders at 3B, Jose Trevino pointed to home plate umpire Mark Wegner. He seemed to tell him to pay attention to Chisholm’s actions.

Wegner then ejected Chisholm, which made him lose his composure until Yankees manager Aaron Boone intervened.

Before the next game, Boone said, “I’m a little down on Trevy right now. I think he contributed to the ejection… he got Mark looking in that direction.” 

However, the next day in the Yankees’ 7–1 win on Wednesday, Chisholm responded with his own swag. He hit a 433-foot homer in the third inning, scoring two runs. He then walked around the bases and joked to Trevino, “That was for last night.”

After the game, there was a mix of teasing and mutual respect. Chisholm admitted that Trevino was to blame for the ejection but laughed it off. “That’s just his game; we know Trevi… I thought it was pretty funny.”

Indeed, a memorable series that included everything: Funny jabs, ejection, and, of course, a great game.