The New York Yankees operate under a constant spotlight, with sky-high expectations matching their significant payroll. Typically, the attention remains on the game — home runs, strikeouts, and victories. But sometimes an entirely unforeseen and almost bizarre circumstance emerges. This past week, such a situation sidelined one of the Bronx Bombers’ stars, creating online frenzy.

Star outfielder Cody Bellinger was benched on April 4 and 5. Manager Aaron Boone first told reporters Belli was experiencing some back stiffness. Boone mentioned that the problem arose in the April 3 game. He emphasized that the decision to sit Bellinger was mainly precautionary due to an early travel schedule. Boone even shared that Bellinger was feeling better and might pinch-hit, minimizing the concern at the time.

But that first explanation quickly flew out the window. Another story broke online when the Talkin’ Yanks shared a photo of Bellinger looking clearly unwell: “Cody Bellinger vs. chicken wings is the best rivalry of 2025.” Overlaying the photo was another text in bold letters: “BAD WINGS” and “CODY BELLINGER IS VOMITING DUE TO FOOD POISONING FROM BAD CHICKEN WINGS.”

Suddenly, a simple back issue transformed into a much more specific, and frankly, odd problem.

Bellinger is one of the Yankees’ highest-paid players, acquired by trade with a three-year, $80 million deal. Such a massive pay getting sidelined is concerning fans. After all, he’s making about $25-27.5 million this season. Plus, his ability to play both outfield and first base is useful.

In Bellinger’s absence, Trent Grisham emerged big time with a hot bat. So, Boone is making creative adjustments in his lineups, looking for places for Grisham while also juggling regulars such as Jasson Domínguez, Ben Rice, and Paul Goldschmidt.

And amidst all that chaos, fans cannot hold back on sharing their views about the situation.

Another twist for the Yankees? Fans react to Bellinger’s unforeseen absence

While the team did what they needed to do on the diamond, the online world latched onto the “bad wings” narrative. The specific, relatable nature of food poisoning, particularly through chicken wings, gave endless material for fans. The bizarre explanation for a star player’s absence became a hot topic, opening doors to some classic internet roasting…

The immediate reaction, passing from concern to alarm, came from seeing the photo the team shared online of a visibly ill Bellinger. A normally vibrant center fielder – looking pale and drained. It’s a stunning contrast to his powerhouse as the 2019 NL MVP season with the Dodgers, when Bellinger hit .305 with 47 homers. His energy defined his game. Hence, his current state feels even more jarring.

That sense of shock turned quickly into exasperation for some. The facepalm emoji says it all. Bellinger has been in the spotlight before, but this frustration of Bronx loyalists seems to communicate that he could have easily avoided such a situation. It reverberates back to struggles in the past, such as his shoulder surgery and fractured leg that sank his 2021 and 2022 seasons. Fans hoping for a healthy 2025 saw this as a needless and disappointing setback.

Others simply found dark humor in the whole bizarre situation, seeing it as typical chaotic energy for the team. Fans could very well be responding to the Yankees’ eventful 2024 season, in which they advanced to the ALCS only to lose to Dodgers, a run that included plenty of drama (both good and bad) — making Bellinger’s moment feel like another strange chapter for a team that just doesn’t seem to avoid the spotlight.

It was only natural that speculation started as to where the offending wings had come from. One fan theorized that the incident occurred during a recent road series against the Tigers. That’s a common challenge players experience when eating unfamiliar food in different cities. While Detroit might be known more for Coney dogs, it was an easy target for fans trying to pin the blame for Belli’s culinary misadventure with chicken wings.

The incident even led to fans of other teams recalling oddly specific memories. They weren’t thinking of Erick Aybar‘s batting average; they were thinking of a truly weird 2016 event. While with Atlanta, Aybar actually got a chicken bone stuck in his throat during a meal! Sidelined by chicken-related mishaps—a bizarre, common misfortune. And another coincidence? Both players are alumni of the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes, a minor league team. What an irony of fate! Isn’t it?

But while Cody Bellinger got benched because of a sore back, and later, because of food poisoning, we can only hope for this ASAP return. Do you have any speculations about that? Don’t shy away from sharing them with us!