By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-03-30 22:01:25 | Updated at 2025-04-01 18:25:53
1 day ago
Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Trevor Megill made his feelings known about the New York Yankees' innovative torpedo bats.
The Bronx Bombers showed off their new bats at home on Saturday by hitting a team-record nine home runs in a 20-9 rout of the visiting Brewers.
Speaking to the New York Post, Megill gave a harsh review of the new-look bats amid questions about its legality.
'I think it's terrible. We'll see what the data says. I've never seen anything like it before,' Megill said. 'I feel like it's something used in slow-pitch softball.
Megill has yet to pitch in 2025 and admitted that moving the barrel of the bat could be a 'genius' move.
'It's genius: Put the mass all in one spot,' he added. 'It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it's the Yankees, so they'll let it slide.'
Trevor Megill called the Yankees' new bats 'genius' and suggested the MLB won't ban them
Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees hits a solo home run with a Torpedo bat in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers on Opening Day at Yankee Stadium
As Yankees announcer Michael Kay explained on YES, the 'Torpedo' bats have more wood around the label area of the bat, as opposed to the barrel.
'The Yankee front office, the analytics department, did a study on [shortstop] Anthony Volpe and every single ball, it seemed like, he hit on the label,' Kay said. 'He didn't hit any on the barrel. So they had bats made up where they moved a lot of the wood into the label so the harder part of the bat will actually strike the ball.'
Outside of Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm, it's not entirely known which of the Yankees are using the Torpedo bats. However, an MLB spokesman has made one thing clear: They're legal.
Not only was The Athletic told by the commissioner's office that the bats were kosher, but MLB Rule 3.02 also cleared up any confusion on the issue.
'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 rulebook reads. 'The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.'
Not only are the bats legal but they're designed by a top-level physicist.
Jazz Chisholm is seen holding one of the Yankees' new Torpedo bats on Saturday in the Bronx
According to former Yankees infielder Kevin Smith, they're the brainchild of Aaron Leanhardt, an MIT grad and Michigan physics professor.
'Yes, the Yankees have a literal genius MIT Physicist, Lenny (who is the man), on payroll,' Smith wrote online. 'He invented the 'Torpedo' barrel. It brings more wood - and mass - to where you most often make contact as a hitter.
'The idea is to increase the number of 'barrels' and decrease misses,' he continued.
Leanhardt already has one important convert in Yankees manager Aaron Boone.
'Intelligence, work ethic, he's connected well, started to forge relationships, and he's done a good job with all of it,' Boone told The Athletic at Spring Training last month in Tampa.
