“They’re not cheating” – Justin Verlander’s brother sets record straight on torpedo bats

Modified Apr 02, 2025 00:21 GMT

MLB: Milwaukee Brewers at New York Yankees - Source: Imagn — “They’re not cheating” – Justin Verlander’s brother sets record straight on torpedo bats - Source: Imagn

Justin Verlander’s brother, Ben, set the record straight regarding the use of torpedo bats by the New York Yankees to open this season.

In an X post, Verlander discussed how torpedo bats make use of more efficient physics involved in hitting to increase the chances of making solid contact.

Justin Verlander’s brother stated:

“It brings more wood and mass to where you most often make contact as a hitter.”

Verlander quoted the words of Aaron Leanhardt, an MIT physicist who’s credited with inventing the torpedo bat.

The idea of a torpedo bat is to move the barrel of the bat to the spot in which each hitter makes the most contact. As such, the barrel’s placement differs from hitter to hitter based on the analytics showing where they make the most contact.

Given the recent success the New York Yankees have had using torpedo bats, Justin Verlander’s brother posed the following question:

“Is this legal?”

Verlander went into the Major League Baseball rule book which states the dimensions of a regulation bat. In his description, Verlander concluded that torpedo bats do not technically violate MLB’s rule on bat dimensions.

His interpretation of the rule led Verlander to conclude:

“They’re not cheating. They’re not doing anything outside of what the Rule Book says you can do or can’t do.”

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Verlander closed his remarks by stating that he doesn’t have a problem with the use of torpedo bats, nor should anyone for that matter. So, it remains to be seen if torpedo bats become the next big thing in Major League Baseball.

Justin Verlander’s brother points out Yankees’ success with torpedo bats

Justin Verlander’s brother pointed out how the use of torpedo bats lifted the Yankees to a record-setting weekend, allowing the club to launch 15 home runs in three games.

In their weekend set against the Milwaukee Brewers, the Yankees dropped 13 bombs on the Brewers. The Bronx Bombers won Saturday’s game 20-9 and Sunday’s tilt 12-3. The Yankees swept their opening series of the season, tying the Major League record with 15 home runs in their first three games of the season.

The surge in power has been attributed to the use of torpedo bats, which MLB has confirmed are legal.

As Yankees’ outfielder Cody Bellinger stated:

“Personally, the weight is closer to my hands, so I feel as if it’s lighter in a way. For me, that was the biggest benefit.”

With the apparent success of torpedo bats, it seems that the newest innovation in MLB is here to stay with other teams also reportedly keen on trying the custom bat.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Chaitanya Prakash