The biggest buzz from MLB’s Opening Day weekend came from the Bronx, where the New York Yankees unleashed a home run barrage against the Milwaukee Brewers—thanks in part to a new bat design that’s causing a stir across the league.
Yankees’ torpedo bats go viral during opening weekend rout of Brewers
Several Yankees used what are being called “torpedo bats,” distinguished by a shifted barrel that concentrates the mass more toward the middle rather than the end of the bat. The unusual design caught the attention of fans and pitchers alike as the Yankees smashed a franchise-record nine home runs in a 20-9 victory on Saturday.
Despite some calling them unfair or even “bush league,” torpedo bats are legal under MLB rules. That hasn’t stopped some pitchers from voicing their frustration. Among them was Brewers reliever Trevor Megill, who didn’t hide his disapproval after watching his team get torched.
“I think it’s terrible,” Megill told The New York Post. “It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide.”
Former Yankees ace and newly inducted Hall of Famer CC Sabathia, however, had a different view. Sabathia was at Yankees spring training this year and saw players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, and Anthony VolpeAnthony Volpe experiment with the torpedo bats.
“I think it’s great,” Sabathia said in an interview with Fox News Digital, where he also discussed his new partnership with allergy medication brand Xyzal. “Pitchers have had every advantage for years—more velocity, better movement, spin rates, advanced tech. If hitters have found something that gives them a little edge back, why not?”
Sabathia said he’s less convinced that the bats alone are to blame for the Yankees’ offensive explosion.
“I was at the game when Nestor [Cortes Jr.] started—the one where they hit nine homers. But when I went home and watched the replay, every pitch was right down the middle,” Sabathia said. “I probably could’ve gotten a hit that day.”
While the Yankees drew the spotlight, they weren’t the only team with players wielding the torpedo bats. The New York Mets’ Francisco Lindor, the Phillies’ Alec Bohm, and the Cubs’ Nico Hoerner were among others spotted using the same bat style.
Still, it was the Bronx Bombers who set the tone for the season, combining explosive offense with a little controversy. Whether the bat design catches on widely or ends up restricted in the future remains to be seen—but for now, it’s within the rules, and players like Sabathia are here for it.
“There’s been talk of moving the mound, changing the baseballs—anything to bring offense back,” Sabathia said. “And now that hitters have something, everyone’s freaking out. But they’re freaking out because it’s the Yankees.”
Off the field, Sabathia is adjusting to a post-retirement routine without a team of medical staff to help with seasonal allergies—something he battled throughout his career. These days, with golf as his go-to sport, he’s found relief in Xyzal, a nighttime allergy medication he now uses with his 14-year-old son Carter.
“My allergies were always brutal,” he said. “I used to go to school with rolls of toilet paper. But Xyzal lets me enjoy the season—baseball and allergy season—without problems.”
As the torpedo bat debate continues, one thing is certain: the Yankees aren’t sneaking up on anyone this year.
