Brewers Reliever Despises Yankees' New Torpedo Bats, Calls Them 'Terrible'

PublishedMarch 31, 2025 2:40 PM EDT•UpdatedMarch 31, 2025 2:40 PM EDT

The New York Yankees displayed custom-designed torpedo bats in their season-opening series against the Milwaukee Brewers, much to the chagrin of one of the opposing pitchers.

Reliever Trevor Megill watched as a few of the Yankees sluggers utilized their new weapons to amass 36 runs and launch 15 home runs (including a franchise record nine on Saturday) in the first three games. The bats are designed so that the barrel is close to the hands, making them more effective at hitting home runs. After all those fireworks, he said he’s not thrilled about the Yankees' new weapons New York has.

"I think it’s terrible,’" the Brewers relief pitcher told The New York Post. "We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slow-pitch softball. It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush [league]. It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide."

MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - SEPTEMBER 27: Trevor Megill #29 of the Milwaukee Brewers reacts to the third out of the ninth inning against the New York Mets at American Family Field on September 27, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

I get Megill’s point of view (for what it's worth, he only faced one batter in the series, so he isn’t being sore about getting rocked). However, the Yankees aren’t doing anything illegal, so no one can blame them for cheating. But are these bats good for the game? Time will tell. (I’ll do a deeper dive into this issue in my next "Touch ‘Em All" column).

The good news for everybody else in the MLB is that these numbers definitely aren’t sustainable. MLB pitching is too good to let the Yankees score that many runs in a series.

But commissioner Rob Manfred is going to have an interesting time navigating this issue. Does he tell the darlings of the league to get different bats? Or does he risk letting the floodgates open and completely changing how the game is played?

We will soon find out.