Torpedo bats drew attention over the weekend when the New York Yankees hit a team-record nine homers in one game.

Players are intrigued. Reds star Elly De La Cruz tried it Monday and crushed the ball. One bat-maker contends Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s seven-HR barrage in last year’s playoffs was with a torpedo. The early version of the backstory is amazing: An MIT physicist-turned-baseball coach, Aaron Leanhardt, made an observation:

“Let them use whatever bat they want. Let’s just allow pitchers to use whatever hitters have in the on deck circle,” Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Matt Strahm posted on X this week. “And not check us like we are criminals every time we walk on or off the field. I’m just a pitcher but I’m assuming better grip helps ya swing harder…”

Jim Levasseur manufactures a torpedo baseball bat at Victus Sports in King of Prussia, Pa., Wednesday, April 2, 2025. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke) Tom Fazzini selects wood to be manufactured into a torpedo baseball bat at Victus Sports in King of Prussia,

MLB Central discusses whether they are in favor or not of torpedo bats, Jose Altuve playing left field, the NL West being the best division and more

But the development of the uniquely shaped piece of lumber — it looks more like a bowling pin than a traditional bat, with a thicker middle and tapered end — wasn't the result of a life spent around the game.

Despite all the talk about New York's torpedo bats, Zac Gallen shut them down Wednesday night with 13 strikeouts in 6.2 innings.

That's a clutch two-bagger by Muncy, and that's a tie game – one that would set the Dodgers up to win the game on Shohei Ohtani 's walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth.