The history of bats: How MLB lumber has changed, from corking and axe handles all the way to torpedo bats

Why we must welcome torpedo bats to baseball

The Mariners' Cal Raleigh homered in three straight games with the new torpedo bat. Purists balk, but all legal avenues for adding offense should be explored.

The history of bats: How MLB lumber has changed, from corking and axe handles all the way to torpedo bats

While torpedo bats have caused a stir this season, the latest trend is far from the first experiment

Torpedo bats are good for the game

Anthony Volpe of the New York Yankees hit a home run as they beat the Milwaukee Brewers 20-9 on March 29. Photo courtesy of Yahoo Sports.  JAMIE HEALY | STAFF REPORTER | jdhealy1@butler.edu Overtime, or “OT,” is an opinion column series where the Collegian takes national sports headlines or polarizing topics and gives them a Butler-centric angle. On March 29, the New York Yankees played the Milwaukee Brewers in game two of their opening series o…

BNL explodes with 11-run fourth inning to torpedo Borden with mercy-rule win

BNL’s Cal Gates is greeted at home plate after slugging a home run against Borden on Tuesday afternoon. The Stars exploded for 11 runs in the fourth inning to bash the Braves 15-5. By Justin Sokeland WBIW.com BEDFORD – Torpedo bats are the new rage in Major League Baseball. The science behind the craze is moving more of the bat’s mass toward the sweep spot in the barrel, allowing hitters to make more consistent and forceful contact. Bedford Nort…

Why Torpedo Bats Might Not Be Baseball’s Next Big Thing

Today’s guest columnists are professors John Cairney and Rick Burton. Torpedo bats are having their moment. With their dramatically tapered barrels and enlarged sweet spots, these odd-looking clubs have lit up early-season highlights and triggered a surge of speculation. Some players using the design have posted impressive results. Analysts are watching. Fans are debating. But […]

Pitt’s physics department takes a swing at explaining MLB’s torpedo bat phenomenon

The hottest topic in the early going of the 2025 MLB season is the “torpedo bat.” First brought into headlines by the New York Yankees, the torpedo bat is quickly spreading through the major leagues, with an increasing number of players looking to try them out.  The torpedo bat shifts weight closer down the bat, resulting in the barrel looking slightly fatter and the bat getting narrower near the top. The design was first created by Aaron Leanha…