Opening Day in baseball is like the first page of a new novel—for Yankees fans, this day has historically been a stage for unforgettable moments. Take April 18, 1923, for instance, when Babe Ruth christened the original Yankee Stadium by launching a 3 run homer, leading the Yankees to a 4-1 victory over the Red Sox or April 2, 1996, when a young Derek Jeter stepped up in Cleveland, showcasing his defensive prowess with a remarkable over-the-shoulder catch and belting his first Major League home run. But as the Yankees took the field to kick off the 2025 season, something felt… off. The familiar roar of the Bronx crowd was there, the pinstripes were crisp as ever, yet one major piece was missing: Juan Soto.

The Yankees kicked off their 2025 season at home, facing the Milwaukee Brewers. It was a solid opener—New York came away with a 4-2 victory, thanks in part to a strong performance from starting pitcher Carlos Rodon, who secured the win. Shortstop Anthony Volpe also made some noise early, blasting a home run to get the crowd fired up. But despite the action on the field, one moment stole the spotlight—and it had nothing to do with the final score. Jazz Chisholm Jr. did something that immediately set the internet on fire.

It was Jazz Chisholm Jr.’s very first time batting in the 2025 season. He was facing the pitcher, watching one pitch go by that was called a ball (not a strike). Right after that, Jazz did something many baseball fans know well – he copied Juan Soto‘s famous little dance move in the batter’s box, the “Soto shuffle.” The TV cameras caught it, and right away, MLB’s official Twitter account shared the video clip with the message “Jazz with the Soto shuffle 👀”. They put the spotlight on Jazz doing this. But, right after doing the shuffle, Jazz ended his turn at bat by striking out.

It seemed like a fun, lighthearted nod to his former teammate. But what happened next wasn’t quite as smooth. A few pitches later, Chisholm struck out, and suddenly, the shuffle didn’t look so fun anymore. Instead, it became fuel for online debates—and a wave of backlash.

Fans call out Jazz Chisholm’s Soto shuffle

Chisholm and Soto played together for the Yankees in 2024, so it’s possible Jazz did the shuffle as a playful nod to his former teammate. Maybe he was just having fun, or maybe he genuinely missed playing alongside Soto. Either way, the moment became an instant talking point. But what really set fans off was MLB’s quick reaction. Since Jazz isn’t the same level of superstar as Soto yet, fans started wondering if MLB was trying too hard to make Jazz the next big thing.

Fans weren’t exactly forgiving. One user on X summed up the general mood, “He struck out immediately after / He needs to just chill out and PLAY BALL.” The sequence was rough—Jazz did the shuffle in the second inning against Milwaukee’s DL Hall, but a few pitches later, he struck out. It was the worst possible timing. Instead of looking confident like Soto, he just looked like a guy who copied a move and then whiffed at the plate. To a lot of fans, that was a bad look.

Other fans felt that copying the shuffle was disrespectful to Juan Soto himself. Soto’s shuffle move is special. So, when Jazz copied it, some fans felt strongly against it, saying things like, “What a bum…” To many, the shuffle isn’t just a dance move – it’s something he developed as a way to control at-bats and showcase his confidence. When Jazz copied it, some fans saw it as unoriginal or even a cheap imitation. After all, even opposing players like Miles Mikolas have done it before—mockingly.

Some of the anger wasn’t just about the shuffle, but about Jazz Chisholm Jr.‘s history of getting hurt. Fans want players, especially talented ones, to be able to play consistently. As a fan bluntly said, “Jazz is trash.” While that’s a mean thing to say, it probably comes from frustration. Chisholm has missed many games in his career due to different injuries – for example, he missed over 100 games in 2023 because of toe and muscle problems, and also missed a lot of time in 2022 with a back injury. Fans might feel he should focus on staying healthy enough to play every day, like Soto usually does, instead of doing shuffles.

Others criticized Chisholm for lacking originality. One fan commented, “@j_chisholm3 being unoriginal, what’s new.” Fans seems to think the Soto shuffle is just another example of Jazz copying something. Even though Jazz has his own cool moves, like the “Euro step” when he runs the bases (which itself looks like a basketball move), these critics feel his style isn’t fully original. So, to them, the shuffle didn’t look like a compliment; it just looked like more copying.

Opening Day should have been a fresh start for the Yankees—a chance to move forward without Juan Soto. Instead, it became a debate about who really owns the spotlight in the Bronx. Jazz Chisholm Jr. had a golden opportunity to introduce himself as a new face of Yankees baseball. But with one shuffle and one strikeout, he became the center of controversy instead. So, what do you think—was Jazz paying tribute, or was he trying too hard to steal the spotlight?