If you are a baseball fan, then there is one thing you might not have missed recently—the torpedo bats. There have been whispers, or rather roars in MLB about it. And it all started when the New York Yankees took it for outings. And they went ham with it. Now these bats have taken the attention of everyone from fans to other teams and baseball players.
But now even Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball is closely watching. And yes, they are considering jumping on the wagon too. Wondering what this huge deal is?
Well, essentially the bat is designed differently, much like someone fused a bowling pin with a baseball bat. The thickest point is closer to the grip than a traditional bat. It gives the bat a funky and front-heavy feel. But, however the physical aspect may be, this slight difference made a change in balance and feel. The Yankees hit 15 home runs in just three games. So it works.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MARCH 29: Austin Wells #28 of the New York Yankees hits a home run on a torpedo bat in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on March 29, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
This design was introduced to MLB through New York Yankees by Aaron Leanhardt. He has roots in Colorado and CU Boulder JILA. Since then, it has started getting super popular, and now across the Pacific, even NPB is interested. They held an executive committee meeting in Tokyo, where they talked about the torpedo bats and confirmed that they were considering using them for their pro-level baseball.
And they can because technically the bat doesn’t violate any rules. That’s because when the Yankees started hitting like there was no tomorrow, many thought this bat was a cheat code. But this isn’t GTA! The bat, according to the rules, should be round, smooth, not more than 2.61 inches at its thickest, and 42 inches in length. Plus, all made from a single piece of wood—and the torpedo ticks all the boxes.
However, to be on the safer side, the NPB committee plans to take a deeper look before making anything official. The bat can be cleared as soon as May. But even then there will be trial runs with the manufacturers. Secretary-General Nakamura mentioned, “Even if the rules committee gives the OK, it doesn’t mean it can be used right away. It would be unfair if there was variation in the timing of use. We need to contact the manufacturers, and there will probably be trial runs.”
However, what about Japan’s star—Shohei Ohtani? Is he all for the torpedo bat, and the most important question—will he be using it?
Shohei Ohtani’s thoughts on the viral MLB’ torpedo bats
In MLBverse, the first initial response by many was, “We have to try this!” But then it’s like the next viral thing that one needs to try. But not everyone is rushing to adopt it, at least not Shohei Ohtani. The two-way player, when asked about getting on the torpedo train, said, “I don’t think I’ll suddenly start using it. I’m very satisfied with my current bat.” And it’s not just him; even Aaron Judge is not on this train and said he has managed so far without it and can do so further too. The same goes for Mookie Betts, who doesn’t seem to get the hype either.
Over in San Diego, Padres pitcher Jason Adam was also unbothered. Sure, the bats were trendy, but Adam is not losing sleep over it. “You still have to hit the ball,” Adam said, flat-out. And he’s got a point. A bat cannot solve everything in MLB, and making contact with a 98 mph pitch is no joke. Still, curiosity got the best of some.
Max Muncy, for example, did place an order for the bats because he saw the Yankees go ham with them. However, the result he got after using them was not great. The Los Angeles Dodgers star struggled, going 0 for 3, and so he ditched the torpedo for his regular bat. And the next thing you know, he hit a double and knocked in two runs. So maybe those new bats are no magic wands, in MLB and what worked for the Yankees might not work for everyone.
But love it or leave it, the debate is hot for now. And MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred is all for the bat. He told The New York Times, “They’re absolutely good for baseball.” In his eyes, the fact that people are getting so worked up for a piece of wood is proof that baseball still runs deep. “It’s a complete frenzy over something that’s really nothing at the end of the day,” Manfred highlighted. And he might be right. It’s a bad bat at the end, but it’s also a sign of a change.
What do you feel about the bat?
The post Big Breakthrough Hits Baseball as NPB Follows MLB’s Lead on Torpedo Bats in Groundbreaking Move Across Japan appeared first on EssentiallySports.