What could possibly happen if small tweaks to a bat lead to big results? A whole lot of controversy. But even more home runs. The New York Yankees’ powerful offense has everyone talking but the real shocker isn’t their power at the plate; it’s the “Torpedo” bats sparking the debate. Many are now claiming that this new design gives an unfair advantage. While the others are questioning whether it alters the integrity of the game.

The Yankees’ $5.85 million hitter, Jazz Chisholm Jr., has now lost his patience with the critics. Addressing the speculations, he called them out, saying, “Okay, explanation: the barrel is bigger and within MLB regulation! For the idiots that say it’s moved to the label, you’re an idiot! Nobody is trying to get jammed; you just move the wood from the parts you don’t use to the parts you do! You’re welcome! No more stress for you all!”

So what’s the real catch? The torpedo bat redistributes its wood mass to the area where hitters typically make contact. It’s simply designed to increase barreled balls and reduce mishits—all within MLB’s legal guidelines.

Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Anthony Volpe, and others have tested it to hammer the pitches, handing the Brewers a huge defeat. On March 29th, 2025, during that game, the Yankees smashed nine home runs in a 20-run outburst. Unsurprisingly, speculations about the bat’s legality intensified.

Not just speculations—the Yankees were even accused of being ‘cheaters.’ As Barstool founder Dave Portnoy didn’t hold back, stating, “Yankees have a long history of cheating and being scumbags.” According to him, the Torpedo bat gives hitters an unfair advantage. As it eliminates the natural consequences of bad swings, allowing players to avoid outs from poor contact. Portnoy went further, demanding that MLB outlaw the Torpedo bat, claiming it compromises the fairness of the game.

Regardless of the criticism, Chisholm has been an advocate of the new bats. When asked about them by the YES network. “Oh, I love my bat… I think you could tell; it’s working pretty well for me. But it doesn’t feel like a different bat; it just helps you in a little way, I guess.” He shared that he started using the bat in the last week and a half of spring training and hasn’t looked back since. He enjoys the feeling of hitting the ball off the barrel and admits he doesn’t know the science behind it; he just plays baseball. Embracing his bat wholeheartedly, Chisholm made it clear: it’s not a cheat code—just smart hitting.

Aaron Judge to stay away from the torpedo trend

While the Yankees’ Torpedo bats have been making headlines, the captain wants no part of it. Aaron Judge was recently questioned if he’d like to take some swings with one just to know how far he could launch a ball. He cut the question short, saying, “I’m good where I’m at,” making it pretty clear he has no interest in jumping on the trend.

Judge was, in fact, surprised to see the Internet buzzing with debates about the Torpedo bats. After all, the Yankees shattered the franchise record by hitting nine home runs in a 20-9 blowout win, so headlines were expected—but the heated debates? Not so much.

Judge has consistently proven himself as one of the most powerful sluggers in history. After that, he sees no reason to switch things up. “Why try to change something if you’ve got something that’s working?” he said. Well, it sounds like a valid point coming from the reigning AL MVP, who shattered the AL single-season home run record in 2022 using his trusted bat. His success relies heavily on his raw power and mechanics to deliver excellent results. But manager Aaron Boone shares unmatched confidence in Judge’s ability to dominate the game without following the trends. “With Aaron Judge, you never put a ceiling on what he can do,” he said.

While it’s unclear how long this torpedo bat trend will last, one thing is certain: Judge won’t be part of it.