Giancarlo Stanton embraced the torpedo bats lengthy earlier than they grew to become the discuss of MLB.
The Yankees slugger used the bowling-pin-shaped bats final season, together with throughout a torrid playoff run by which he struck seven house runs in 14 video games.
“It’s something that makes a lot of sense, but why hasn’t anyone thought of it in 100-plus years?” Stanton mentioned Tuesday of the torpedo bats, which function elongated barrels that may assist hitters make onerous contact extra recurrently.
“It’s explained simply, and then you try it.”
The bats commanded nationwide consideration through the Yankees’ home-run barrage in opposition to the Milwaukee Brewers over the weekend, throughout which Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells all went deep utilizing torpedo fashions.
On Tuesday, Stanton was requested whether or not he believes utilizing the non-traditional bat mannequin contributed to the tennis elbow he’s coping with in each arms. Stanton had mentioned throughout spring coaching that “bat adjustments” might have triggered the accidents, which proceed to delay his begin to the season.
However Stanton declined responsible the torpedo bats.
“You’re not going to get the story you’re looking for,” Stanton mentioned Tuesday. “So if that’s what you guys want, that ain’t going to happen.”
Stanton, 35, plans to proceed utilizing a torpedo bat as soon as he returns from the injured record.
And whereas the timeline for his return stays unsure, Stanton mentioned his elbows are feeling “better” after he obtained three rounds of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) injections throughout spring coaching.
He’s now been hitting off of the Trajekt machine, a high-speed pitching simulator.
“Grip strength is getting better, so I’m getting as many at-bats as I can off the Trajekt to catch up,” Stanton mentioned.
Stanton, who hit 24 house runs with a .773 OPS final season, didn’t seem in a recreation this spring.
He mentioned he’s nonetheless coping with ache in his elbows, reiterating that’s a “constant” he must handle even when he returns.
Stanton mentioned he’ll want minor-league at-bats earlier than he returns to the Yankees. He doesn’t know, nevertheless, when a rehab project would possibly start or what number of at-bats he’ll want.
“This is very unique, Stanton said. “I definitely haven’t missed a full spring before. It will just depend [on] my timing, really, [and] how fast I can feel comfortable in the box versus live pitching.”
The Yankees have been inspired by Stanton’s progress, supervisor Aaron Boone mentioned final week.
“He’s doing pretty well,” Boone mentioned on Opening Day. “We’ve all been encouraged by the last couple of weeks. Still no timetable on anything, but he’s been able to swing the bat and feel like there’s been some steady improvement day after day.”
Initially Revealed: April 1, 2025 at 5:59 PM EDT
