Jake Loomis
The new Torpedo bats that the New York Yankees are using is one of the hottest topics in baseball this year. The new bat, which is legal, changes the location of the barrel as it is now closer to the hands of the hitter. This has helped many players, such as Jazz Chisholm, in the early going as the barrel location better fits his swing path. Chisholm already has three home runs for over three games and is hitting for a .417 average as the Yankees swept the Brewers in the first series of the year. As a team, the Bronx Bombers have blasted 15 home runs over the fence with star Aaron Judge (not using a torpedo bat) leading the pack with four.
The torpedo bats are all similar, however, each player has a slightly different model based on their bat size and their swing path analytics. The bats just came about, and they are already sparking the baseball world as many are calling for their removal. Per MLB rules, they are considered fair game. Rule 3.02 states that bats cannot be more than 2.61 inches in diameter and 42 inches in length, and the torpedo bat meets those requirements. The question that many are still asking is whether the MLB will ban this style of bat.
The MLB should not ban this bat due to the fact that every player has the ability to use it. The only reason for the bat to be banned would be if it were too overpowering for pitchers. However, when players are throwing 100 mph fastballs, hitters need every advantage they can get to hit the ball. Hits and home runs are also great for the game, as many more fans are drawn to big flies rather than strikeouts. It’s always great to see a no-hitter or a perfect game. However, those feats are rare compared to the home run, which, on average, happens 1.21 times in a regular game.
Not every player will use the torpedo bat as it’s not a fit for all swing paths. As mentioned, the barrel is closer to the hands, and for players who like to reach for pitches, this might not be the greatest fit to generate power and contact. Cody Bellinger is an outlier; in his first series with the new barrel, he generated some great contact with the bat, while also experiencing some weaker contact when reaching over the plate. The weaker contact was a good thing as it worked as a perfect bunt, allowing him to use his legs to get on base.
The torpedo boat is the newest MLB innovation, as it was created by former Yankees staff member Aaron Leadheart, who now works for the Marlins. The goal will always be to innovate and if the Torpedo bat is banned, the innovation will hit a pause. This bat has the potential to change the game not only for hitters now, but also for those in the future. Scientists and baseball gurus will continue to search for the next cutting-edge innovation that will revolutionize the game for players. As a fan, home runs and a slightly different bat form do not make me hate the game, it just makes me love it more. This season is shaping up to be one of the best in the MLB in a while as numerous storylines surround the game, including the new bat that should be allowed to remain in play.
Connor Sargeant
MLB should ban the torpedo bats, and it’s for a simple reason: allowing these bats in sets a dangerous precedent that undermines America’s Pastime of any tradition since the game’s inception. While the MLB has changed the shape of the glove multiple times throughout history, a significant reason for this was to reduce hand injuries as pitchers threw harder and allow fielders to make plays on the ball. The new torpedo bats do not serve this function.
From detailed scouting reports to the best pitcher simulations on the planet, the tools that hitters have to thrive have never been greater, which puts pitchers at a significant competitive disadvantage. While pitchers do throw harder than ever before and have breaking balls with historic snap, there is evidence to suggest that the league has “juiced” baseballs, putting pitchers at yet another disadvantage. Instead of having to improve and adjust their ideal swing path to get on base, loading the bats in this manner eliminates the hard work of making swing adjustments and being a true competitor. Players can now go to their analytics department and find their ideal bat but again, what about the pitchers? They have no tailor-made advantage to their position quite like the hitters have, and in what world is that fair?
While complaining about more runs and more “excitement” may not be controversial to some, low-run pitcher duels are exciting and this move signals that MLB disagrees with this notion. It’s not out of the question that these types of games could become extinct within the next 10 years, as these bats are only the start. With the pitch clock, pitcher throwover rules and now torpedo bats, it is clear that MLB cares for money first and fans last.
While it is not illegal right now, these bats are altering America’s Pastime in a way that could render baseball unrecognizable in the near future. Rob Manfred and the league should come together and make the right decision: ban the torpedo bat and update the language surrounding what hitters can use at the plate.