Explained: What are the new 'torpedo' bats that are off to an explosive start in Major League Baseball?

The new torpedo bats have created a buzz across United States and in the rest of the baseball world with the New York Yankees hitting a team-record nine home runs that traveled a combined 3,695 feet in their 20-9 thrashing of Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday. The Yankees ended up scoring 15 homers in their first three games of the season against the Brewers, including four in their 12-3 victory on Sunday, matching the MLB record previously set by the Detroit Tigers in 2006.

“That’s just trying to be the best we can be,” manager Aaron Boone said Sunday. “That’s one of the things that’s gotten pointed out. I say to you guys all the time, we’re trying to win on the margins and that shows up in so many different ways.”

What are the new torpedo bats in Major League Baseball?

The new torpedo bats have the sweet spot of the barrel shifted closer to the hitter’s hands. The groundbreaking, customized new design has given extra home run power to batters – and added a new challenge for top MLB pitchers.

There’s more wood mass concentrated in the area where bats are most likely to make contact with pitched balls – six inches or so closer to the batter’s hands – but the bats conform to MLB rules. They just have more punch at the impact point compared to more traditional bats.

“The concept makes so much sense. I know I’m bought in,” Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe told the MLB’s website. “The bigger you can have the barrel where you hit the ball, it makes sense to me.”

MLB has relatively uncomplicated bat rules, stating under 3.02: “The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.” It goes on to state there may be a cupped indentation up to 1 1/4 inches in depth, 2 inches wide and with at least a 1-inch diameter, and experimental models must be approved by MLB.

With inputs from agencies