Baseball fans may have noticed something a bit unusual if they tuned into the Yankees-Brewers series over the weekend: torpedo-shaped bats.
The uniquely shaped bat features a barrel that is closer to the batter's hands, enhancing the so-called sweet spot on the bat. But is it legal and does it work?
For now, the answer is seemingly yes to both of those questions.
The New York Yankees hit a franchise record nine home runs Saturday in their 20-9 rout of the Milwaukee Brewers, before smashing an additional four homers Sunday in their 12-3 win over Milwaukee to cap a three-game series sweep.
New York shortstop Anthony Volpe was among several Yankees players swinging a "torpedo" bat over the weekend. He was asked about it and reportedly credited former Yankees analyst Aaron Leanhardt with the innovative design. Kevin Smith, who played in New York last year, also tips his cap to Leanhardt for the idea, saying it makes the bat "feel a little lighter."
"Yes, the Yankees have a literal genius MIT Physicist, Lenny (who is the man), on payroll," Smith said in a post on social media. "He invented the 'Torpedo' barrel. It brings more wood - and mass - to where you most often make contacct as a hitter. The idea is to increase the number of 'barrels' and decrease misses."
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Yankees manager Aaron Boone also commented Sunday on his players using "torpedo" bats, saying it's about "trying to win on the margins."
"And that shows up in so many different ways," Boone said during a post-game press conference. "Whether you see, you know, bat models ... we have a big organization that are invested in a lot of different things where we're trying to be better in every possible way."
Major League Baseball, meanwhile, has reportedly confirmed the bats are legal. According to the Baseball Rules Academy, rule 3.02 states bats "shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length."
The bats also aren't anything new — or exclusive to the Yankees organization. They also saw some use in Spring Training and last season. According to mlb.com, Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero said he too used a "torpedo" bat during a pinch hit situation Sunday and got a base hit in his team's 6-4 win over the Colorado Rockies.
