Mets manager opens up about torpedo bats in light of Yankees' home run spree

New York Mets manager Carlos Mendoza is not surprised by the innovation of the controversial new torpedo bat, which is one of the hot topics of discussion in the MLB right now. Mendoza said hitters are always trying to find ways to improve, especially when they are in a slump.

The torpedo bat was initially conceived by MIT physicist Aaron Leinhardt while he was working with the New York Yankees organization. The bat earned the name from its shape resembling a bowling pin, with a thicker barrel that trims down at the lower end.

Carlos Mendoza was part of the New York Yankees coaching department until 2023, before becoming the manager for the Mets. He was asked by reporters to share his opinions on the torpedo bat ahead of the team's series opener against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field on Monday.

"It's the topic of the big leagues right now," Mendoza said. "Nothing new for us. This is something that every team and every player continues to look for an edge and find ways to improve in the margins. This is the perfect example."

"But this has been going on for years, and guys are going even more when they're in a hitting lapse," Mendoza added. "Getting bats customized to what they like. The thicker handles the bigger barrel. It's a funny-looking bat, and it became viral. But, yeah, nothing new for us."

The revolutionary bat took the MLB by storm after the New York Yankees smashed nine home runs against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday, with some of those being scored by hitters using the new design.

Torpedo bat designer feels its success is about the batter not the model

Five Yankees players hit mome runs using the torpedo bat against the Brewers on Saturday (Image Source: IMAGN)

Aaron Leinhardt, the man behind the evolution of the torpedo bat, is a former physics professor at the University of Michigan. Leinhardt, presently employed as a field coordinator for the Miami Marlins, believes the success of the bat rests more with the players and the coaches rather than its innovative design.

"At the end of the day it’s about the batter, not the bat," he told in said in an interview with the Associated Press. "It’s about the hitter and their hitting coaches. I'm happy to always help those guys get a little bit better, but ultimately it’s up to them to put in good swings and grind it out every day. So, credit to those guys."

Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all hit home runs for the Yankees on Saturday against the Milwaukee Brewers using the torpedo bat. Aaron Judge also hit three homers in the game, but he is still using a traditional model of bat.