MLB, say hello to the “Torpedo Bat”

The Major League Baseball season started just over a week ago, and the biggest story of the season so far is the new “torpedo bat.”

The bats first got noticed last Saturday when the New York Yankees were facing the Milwaukee Brewers. During a Jazz Chisolm, Jr. at bat, the television broadcast showed an up-close view of his bat. This showed the barrel of the bat further down the bat, more towards the handle. This caused lots of speculation and rumors asking if these bats are legal. The bat was provided to the Yankees through an MIT Specialist who found that certain players would be better with the barrel closer to the handle of the bat. 

According to MLB official rule book, rule 3.02A states “the bat 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 bat shall be one piece of solid wood.” Every bat that gets used for games has to be certified by MLB before hitters can use them in games. 

Rob Manfred, MLB commissioner, says the bats are “absolutely good”  for baseball and approved by the league. Still, many fans around the league don’t like them, saying they are “cheating” and “unethical.” Many people also believed it had something to do with the Yankees scoring 36 runs in the first three games and hitting a record 25 home runs through the first eight games. 

Now with more information about the bats and people using it, players have come out and said they are using it as well. This list includes players like Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, Franciso Lindor, Elly De La Cruz, Adley Rutschman, and many others. Teams like the Atlanta Braves and Philadelphia Phillies have put in orders for them to receive the bats and use them in the near future. Will these bats provide more home runs and offense? Or will hitting a baseball still prove to be the hardest thing to do in sports? Only time will tell, and we will see what happens with this 2025 season.