SF Giants want to try “torpedo bats” that have helped Yankees’ hot start

HOUSTON — Just about every year, a new trend sweeps across Major League Baseball.

In 2023, it was the sweeper. In 2024, it was the splitter. In 2025? It’s the “torpedo bat.”

The torpedo bat became the talk of baseball after the New York Yankees hit 15 home runs — including nine on Saturday  — over three games against the Milwaukee Brewers. The bats, true to the name, feature a torpedo-like shape and are custom-made, designed to ensure the densest part of the bat is where a hitter makes the most contact.

And, yes, despite the abnormal look, the bats are completely legal.

“I’ve always thought that baseball’s been behind the curve in terms of technology and creating the right equipment for every player,” said Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski. “It’s always been up to us to try bats and see if we like it — and even if you like it, you don’t know if it’s the right performing bat for you. It’s good to see there’s genuine thought being put into what equipment we’re actually using.”

The bats are the invention of 48-year-old Aaron Leanhardt, who earned his bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and his doctorate in physics from MIT. Leanhardt, currently the Miami Marlins’ field coordinator, developed the bat during his time with New York, where he served as the team’s lead analyst last season. The Yankees, unsurprisingly, are leading the torpedo bat charge.

As things stand, there are roughly 20 players this season using torpedo bats and more are experimenting due in part to the Yankees’ outburst. Elly De La Cruz, whose Reds lost twice to the Giants in their opening three-game series, tried the bat out on Monday and proceeded to go 4-for-5 with two homers, a double and seven RBIs.

In the coming months, the bats could make their way into the Giants’ clubhouse.

“At some point, I’ll try it out just to give it a shot,” infielder Tyler Fitzgerald said. “It’s a trendy thing right now. If the Yankees don’t put up 20 runs in that game, this isn’t even a discussion. Anything to give the hitter a little more of an advantage, I’m all for.”

“I’m definitely going to look into it and figure out what’s right,” Yastrzemski said. “But I’m not just going to go in blindly. I’m going to go and find the data and decide if that’s something I even should try before I do that. I don’t really feel like I’m in a position right now where I need to go searching for something that I don’t need to be looking for right now.”

That list will not include first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., who prefers to roll with the model he’s used for years.

“I’m honestly not really that interested in it,” Wade said. “It makes sense, but I like my bats. My bats are made for me as well.”

Despite the torpedo bat’s legality, there’s been no shortage of detractors claiming the bats provide an unfair advantage.

With the obvious caveat that the season is young, several players who use torpedo bats have had strong starts to their seasons. Entering Tuesday, the Yankees’ Jazz Chisholm, Paul Goldschmidt, Austin Wells and Cody Bellinger all boast an OPS of at least 1.000.

According to Major League Baseball Rule 3.02, bats “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.” The torpedo bat meets both criteria. Given they’re textbook legal, Yastrzemski doesn’t see the bats as unfair, but rather the latest means of using technology to find an edge.