The New York Yankees are doing what they do best—making headlines. But wait… this time, it is different. It’s not about a blockbuster trade or a rivalry. Nope! It’s rather about bats. Shocking, right? But their new bats, aka (what most are calling) “torpedo bats,” have taken MLB by storm.
While these things look somewhat like they belong in a slow-pitch softball league, they were very much in play on Saturday. This was when the Yankees beat the Brewers 20-9 and smashed a record nine home runs!
Of course, given the new bat, the stellar performance, and more, some feathers were to be ruffled. And it did! Some were suspicious about the legality of it, some about whether the Yankees were misusing the boundaries. But some were even amused and impressed. But Milwaukee’s closer Trevor Megill’s name isn’t going on that list. Because the $1.94 million closer isn’t really a fan.
Megill told The New York Post, “I think it’s terrible. We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slo-pitch softball. It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide.” Well, for someone who hasn’t even taken the mound in 2025 yet, Megill seems to have some bold takes.
But his frustration isn’t about the design element only or the edge the other team gets. It’s more so about the team using it. Through his statement, it seems like he wanted to say that if anyone else had done this, MLB would have a stronger stance. But since it’s the Yankees, MLB let it slide.
But it’s far from the truth, because MLB has clarified that Yankees bat matches all the criteria mentioned in their rulebook.
And not everyone in the Milwaukee Brewers, as well, is calling it foul. First baseman Rhys Hoskins, in fact, feels those bats are another innovation in the game’s evolution. “They figured out a way to make it work. Logically, it makes a lot of sense, but I’m not a physicist. But how could I not want to look into it more?” Plus, it’s not like the entire roster was using those things. Even Aaron Judge isn’t using it, nor is he a fan of Torpedo bats.
But as far as physicists go, the Yankees sure have a gem!
New York Yankees’ secret weapon? A genius physicist!
The New York Yankees for sure are in the market to rewrite the science of hitting. And such power from the get-go is for sure talent. But it also might be a result of an MIT physicist working hard in the shadows. So it might just be that nine home runs in an explosion wasn’t just a lucky night for them. In fact, former third baseman Kevin Smith just pulled the curtain, explaining just how dangerous this simple change can really be.
In a series of posts on X, Smith revealed the details of the mastermind behind these bats.
It was none other than Lenny, a genius from MIT. He had designed the torpedo with one thing in mind—it had to maximize the power and even minimize the misses. “Yes, the Yankees have a literal genius MIT physicist, Lenny (who is the man), on payroll. He invented the ‘Torpedo’ barrel. It brings more wood—and mass—to where you most often make contact as a hitter. The idea is to increase the number of ‘barrels’ and decrease misses.”
So, more sweet spot contact and home runs have been the motto.
But before anyone literally screams ‘illegal,’ Smith has already clarified how MLB has granted that Yankees bats are within regulations.
But if you are picturing a massive vat, that’s not the case. Smith mentioned how the design simply redistributes the weight and surely makes it feel different but also legal. “They also feel a little lighter—there’s more weight closer to your hands so you can swing a heavier bat. It kind of feels like those old wiffle ball bats you used as a kid.” But at the end of the day, not everyone is using them. Some hitters have different preferences, like a thin barrel, while some don’t.
Right now, if the trend continues, other teams might also look the Yankee way. Don’t you think?
The post Brewers’ $1.94M Closer Fumes Over Yankees’ Controversial Bat Design as Debate Reaches Boiling Point appeared first on EssentiallySports.
