The New York Yankees Come In Swinging This Season With Controversial Bats
Yankee Stadium, home of the New York Yankees. Photo by Ava Verret '28
The Bronx Bombers were living up to their notorious nickname as baseball season got started with a 3-0 sweep against the Milwaukee Brewers in their home-opener, which included a franchise-record nine home runs in one game.
Following such an amazing start, the Yankees played a neck-and-neck series against the Arizona Diamondbacks; however, they ultimately fell short in the end and lost the series.
The Pinstripes seemed to get their spark back pretty quickly against the Pittsburgh Pirates. In a 2-1 series win, the Yankees showed up and scored 19 runs in the first two games, making fans feel all the more ecstatic about the infamous Yankees offense.
However, said offense struggled immensely against the Detroit Tigers, with the Yankees managing just two runs in the first two games, losing both. New York won the final game of the three-game set, salvaging the series in Detroit.
Yet, throughout the triumphs and tribulations of the season thus far, fans and non-fans alike noticed a new style of bat being used by the Yankees, which has quickly sparked controversy.
The bats being used by some Yankees this season are known as torpedo bats. Essentially, a torpedo bat is designed in a certain way where the standard size format is distributed in a different geometric shape that ensures the fattest part of the bat is located where the players make the most contact with the ball. Simply put, the sweet spot on the bat is moved to better suit the batter's swing path.
After the Yankees' dominance against the Brewers, speculation followed the bowling-pin-like bats, questioning their legality.
However, these bats are entirely legal. In fact, Major League Baseball’s bat regulations are more liberal than one would imagine. The current rules for bats allow for a maximum barrel diameter of 2.61 inches, a maximum length of 42 inches, and that the bat must have a smooth, round shape.
Torpedo bats are not at all new to the Yankees. Outfielder Giancarlo Stanton used them during the 2024 season and went on a home run streak during the postseason, helping lead the Yankees to the World Series. These bats are not new to baseball as a whole and are expected to only rise in popularity amongst major league players.
It’s safe to say that fans and non-fans alike have strong opinions about the Yankees. What do Marist University students have to say about these new bats and the effect they’ve had on the start of the Yankees' season? Additionally, will this year's Yankees compete with their previous year's record?
“After losing Soto, I wasn’t sure if the addition of Bellinger and Goldschmidt would be enough, but so far the offense is having one of its best starts of all time, partially because of the torpedo bats. I think the bats are a great innovation to the game, and because they have been approved by the MLB and are completely legal, I don’t see why some people are upset,” Yankee fan Zach Labus ‘28 said. “It might take time for pitchers to adapt, but I think pretty soon all teams will use the bats, and it’s just going to be part of the game.”
“As a Mets fan, it is hard for me to say anything nice about the Yankees. However, I will say I do believe they will have a pretty successful regular season. With the offense we hear about constantly, they will have no trouble putting up runs,” Nate Smith ‘28 said.
Like Labus, Smith sees no problem with the torpedo bats since they have been deemed legal by the league.
“Put more wood in the part of the bat that hits the ball. Seems like common sense,” Smith explained.
Still, not everyone is convinced that these new bats are game-changers.
“The big-hitting names like Ohtani, Soto and Judge have proved in years prior that they do not need a special bat to hit the ball far, and I don’t think they will be switching when they have been so successful with a traditional-shaped bat,” Smith said.