If you’re already fuming about the New York Yankees using “torpedo bats” — well, buckle up. The news just got even juicier for Yankee fans and more maddening for the skeptics.
The Yankees unveiled their controversial new torpedo bats during their season-opening sweep against the Milwaukee Brewers, and the results were jaw-dropping. Across the three-game series, the Bronx Bombers piled up 36 runs, including a staggering 20-9 blowout on Saturday that saw the team launch a franchise-record nine home runs. Aaron Judge led the charge with three of them and posted a career-high in RBIs. One day later, New York crushed Milwaukee 12-3 to seal the sweep.
But for those crying foul? The twist that will really send them over the edge: according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, Giancarlo Stanton and the Yankees actually started using these bats late last season. Dubbed “bowling pin bats” by some due to their unique shape, they’ve been quietly fueling a revolution behind the scenes.
“Most also didn’t realize that the bowling pin bat was used for some of the most consequential hits of 2024 thanks to one of its earliest adaptors,” Passan wrote. “Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton is owed as much credit as any player for the bowling pin revolution.”
Stanton — known for having one of the hardest swings in the league — saw his already elite bat speed weaponized by the new design. In 14 postseason games last year, Stanton slugged .709 with a 1.048 OPS, smashing seven home runs and driving in 16 RBIs as he led the Yankees to their first AL pennant since 2009. While New York ultimately fell to the Dodgers in five games, Stanton’s October outburst helped launch the bat into the spotlight.
Now, even with Stanton sidelined to begin 2025 due to elbow epicondylitis, the Yankees continue to dominate at the plate with their revamped arsenal. Once the 35-year-old slugger returns to the lineup, this already-dangerous offense could become downright terrifying.
Call it innovation or call it an unfair advantage — either way, the Yankees are swinging for history. And with these torpedo bats in hand, they’re not missing much.
