March 2025

There were 1,679 posts published in March 2025 (this is page 12 of 168).

Did Yankees’ physicist-designed ‘torpedo’ bats play role in 9-HR power surge vs. Brewers?

The New York Yankees teed off on the Milwaukee Brewers at will on Saturday, with some interesting equipment.

Amid a nine-homer, 16-hit demolition of the Brewers’ pitching staff — which started with three straight homers off old friend Nestor Cortes and ended with a final score of 20-9 — YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay explained at least a few of the Yankees were using a new type of bat.

Apparently, the Yankees’ front office has crafted a new sort of bat that basically moves some of the wood lower down on the barrel, putting more mass in the area that actually strikes the ball. It basically makes the end of the bat more shaped like a bowling pin.

Kay’s explanation:

“The Yankee front office, the analytics department, did a study on Anthony Volpe and every single ball, it seemed like, he hit on the label,” Kay said. “He didn’t hit any on the barrel. So they had bats made up where they moved a lot of the wood into the label so the harder part of the bat will actually strike the ball.”

It is unclear how many of the Yankees were using these bats, and for how long. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe both appeared to be using them Saturday, but photos from spring training appear to show Chisholm using them and Volpe not using them. 

Cody Bellinger also used them in spring training and on Saturday, and provided a review to the New York Daily News earlier this month:

“There’s ways to move the weight of the bat. Some guys like top heavy, some guys like hand-loaded bats,” Bellinger said. “You just gotta find a bat that feels good, that kind of moves with you.

“I’m a believer in swinging different things.”

So we’re a bit unclear on how many of the Yankees’ 12 balls hit with an exit velocity of at least 100 mph were hit with the bowling pin bats. Chisholm went 2-for-5 with a homer Saturday, while Volpe was 1-for-4 with a homer and two walks.

While some might object to them, the bats don’t appear to break any MLB rules. The league only stipulates bats can be no longer than 42 inches or thicker than 2.61 inches, must be made of solid wood and not have a cup at the tip deeper than an inch. Bat grip substances also can’t go longer than 18 inches from the bottom of the handle.

You would also imagine the Yankees secured MLB’s permission before implementing the bats.

The Yankees are using a new sort of bat. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Mike Stobe via Getty Images

Former Yankees organization player Kevin Smith provided some additional information on social media after the game, with a picture showing the difference between the Yankees’ bats and one from the Athletics. He credited an MIT physicist on payroll named Lenny (a.k.a. analyst Aaron Leanhardt) for the innovation.

Again, it’s unclear when these bats, reportedly described in-house as a “torpedo” barrel, were implemented as Smith left the Yankees organization last October. Still, he provided a detailed explanation of what it’s like to use the bats:

MLB has rules on bats, like what the weight drop can be, what the density of the wood can be and how big the barrel can be. Most guys are using bats that aren’t even close to maxing out the barrel size. When Lenny measured my barrel compared to what’s “allowed” I was shocked.

“You’re going up with a weapon that can be better.” Lenny would say. “Your just misses could be clips, your clips could be flares, and your flares could barrels.” And it was true, it’s fractions of an inch on the barrel differentiating these outcomes.

They also feel a little lighter, there’s more weight closer to your hands so you can swing a heavier bat. It kind of feels like those old Wiffle ball bats you used as a kid, the barrel feels MASSIVE the first time you pick it up. But it’s really not THAT big …

It looks really big because the cup of the bat is smaller. Taking some of the wood away from the end (where you don’t really want to hit it anyways) and putting more in the barrel (where you want to hit it more) makes it look even bigger.

It makes sense to everyone who plays, the hard part is getting over how weird it looks in your hands. Looking down at it in the box made me laugh almost every time and most catchers noticed it. Players love feel, and it throws off all your feels initially.

Obviously, it’s not going to make you an elite hitter if you aren’t already (I tried). But for the best in the world, any slight advantage could be the difference. It’s cool to see more people using them, Lenny was always amazed it wasn’t already a thing.

As Smith said, it should be emphasized that these bats are likely a minor upgrade at best. Hitting a home run still requires squaring up a ball — which remains the hard part — this might just be a way for players to add a little force when they do so. Still, baseball is the sport where little advantages add up more than any other, so you would imagine the rest of the league is already looking into this with great interest.

Did Yankees’ physicist-designed ‘torpedo’ bats play role in 9-HR power surge vs. Brewers?

The New York Yankees teed off on the Milwaukee Brewers at will on Saturday, with some interesting equipment.

Amid a nine-homer, 16-hit demolition of the Brewers’ pitching staff — which started with three straight homers off old friend Nestor Cortes and ended with a final score of 20-9 — YES Network broadcaster Michael Kay explained at least a few of the Yankees were using a new type of bat.

Apparently, the Yankees’ front office has crafted a new sort of bat that basically moves some of the wood lower down on the barrel, putting more mass in the area that actually strikes the ball. It basically makes the end of the bat more shaped like a bowling pin.

Kay’s explanation:

“The Yankee front office, the analytics department, did a study on Anthony Volpe and every single ball, it seemed like, he hit on the label,” Kay said. “He didn’t hit any on the barrel. So they had bats made up where they moved a lot of the wood into the label so the harder part of the bat will actually strike the ball.”

It is unclear how many of the Yankees were using these bats, and for how long. Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Anthony Volpe both appeared to be using them Saturday, but photos from spring training appear to show Chisholm using them and Volpe not using them. 

Cody Bellinger also used them in spring training and on Saturday, and provided a review to the New York Daily News earlier this month:

“There’s ways to move the weight of the bat. Some guys like top heavy, some guys like hand-loaded bats,” Bellinger said. “You just gotta find a bat that feels good, that kind of moves with you.

“I’m a believer in swinging different things.”

So we’re a bit unclear on how many of the Yankees’ 12 balls hit with an exit velocity of at least 100 mph were hit with the bowling pin bats. Chisholm went 2-for-5 with a homer Saturday, while Volpe was 1-for-4 with a homer and two walks.

While some might object to them, the bats don’t appear to break any MLB rules. The league only stipulates bats can be no longer than 42 inches or thicker than 2.61 inches, must be made of solid wood and not have a cup at the tip deeper than an inch. Bat grip substances also can’t go longer than 18 inches from the bottom of the handle.

You would also imagine the Yankees secured MLB’s permission before implementing the bats.

The Yankees are using a new sort of bat. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
Mike Stobe via Getty Images

Former Yankees organization player Kevin Smith provided some additional information on social media after the game, with a picture showing the difference between the Yankees’ bats and one from the Athletics. He credited an MIT physicist on payroll named Lenny (a.k.a. analyst Aaron Leanhardt) for the innovation.

Again, it’s unclear when these bats, reportedly described in-house as a “torpedo” barrel, were implemented as Smith left the Yankees organization last October. Still, he provided a detailed explanation of what it’s like to use the bats:

MLB has rules on bats, like what the weight drop can be, what the density of the wood can be and how big the barrel can be. Most guys are using bats that aren’t even close to maxing out the barrel size. When Lenny measured my barrel compared to what’s “allowed” I was shocked.

“You’re going up with a weapon that can be better.” Lenny would say. “Your just misses could be clips, your clips could be flares, and your flares could barrels.” And it was true, it’s fractions of an inch on the barrel differentiating these outcomes.

They also feel a little lighter, there’s more weight closer to your hands so you can swing a heavier bat. It kind of feels like those old Wiffle ball bats you used as a kid, the barrel feels MASSIVE the first time you pick it up. But it’s really not THAT big …

It looks really big because the cup of the bat is smaller. Taking some of the wood away from the end (where you don’t really want to hit it anyways) and putting more in the barrel (where you want to hit it more) makes it look even bigger.

It makes sense to everyone who plays, the hard part is getting over how weird it looks in your hands. Looking down at it in the box made me laugh almost every time and most catchers noticed it. Players love feel, and it throws off all your feels initially.

Obviously, it’s not going to make you an elite hitter if you aren’t already (I tried). But for the best in the world, any slight advantage could be the difference. It’s cool to see more people using them, Lenny was always amazed it wasn’t already a thing.

As Smith said, it should be emphasized that these bats are likely a minor upgrade at best. Hitting a home run still requires squaring up a ball — which remains the hard part — this might just be a way for players to add a little force when they do so. Still, baseball is the sport where little advantages add up more than any other, so you would imagine the rest of the league is already looking into this with great interest.

Grizzlies GM Zach Kleiman on firing Taylor Jenkins: ‘This is in the best interest of the team’

He spoke to the media for less than three minutes and was intentionally vague about his reasoning, but Grizzlies general manager Zach Kleiman took ownership of the surprise coaching change, firing Taylor Jenkins just nine games before the playoffs.

“I came to the conclusion that this is in the best interest of the team, and urgency is a core principle of ours, so I decided to go on with the move,” Kleiman told reporters at the Grizzlies’ shootaround Saturday, before the team has a critical game against the Lakers.

Pressed for a better explanation of the reasoning behind firing the winningest coach in Memphis franchise history, Kleiman steered clear of the topic.

“In this case, I’m going to leave it that I of course gave this real thought and came to the conclusion that this is in the best interests of our team going forward,” he said.

Kleiman did say several times that he did not consult the players on this move, “This decision is mine and mine only.”

What shocked others around the league was less the firing and more the timing, just weeks before the playoffs, while the Grizzlies were 44-29 and tied for fourth in the West (with the Lakers, who the Grizzlies face Saturday night). A league source told NBC Sports that star guard Ja Morant has been unhappy with the team’s move away from more pick-and-rolls to more of a motion-based offense, but that was something pushed by Kleiman and why he brought in assistant coach Tuomas Lisalo, who is now the interim head coach in Memphis.

Does Kleiman think firing his coach now will help the team come the playoffs?

“I’m focused on how we operate. I’m responsible for everything. I’m responsible for coaching, I’m responsible for the roster, I’m not trying to absolve myself of anything,” Kleiman said. “I’m excited to see what this team can do the rest of the way, but this is the conclusion that I came to, that this is in the best interest of the team and we push forward with this group.”

Kleiman and the Grizzlies enter this offseason with a lot of tough questions. Is this team really a new coach away from contending? Will there need to be roster changes? Can a core led by Morant and Jaren Jackson Jr. contend?

Before all that, we have to see how the Grizzlies’ coaching change plays out the rest of this season.

Rays put OF Josh Lowe on 10-day IL with strained right oblique, a year after he had similar injury

TAMPA, Fla. — The Tampa Bay Rays put outfielder Josh Lowe on the 10-day injured list with a strained right oblique.

The Rays recalled outfielder Jake Mangum from Triple-A Durham on Saturday to take Lowe’s spot on the roster.

Lowe was hurt in Tampa Bay’s opener on Friday, a year after he missed 46 games with a similar injury.

He grounded out in his first at-bat and felt discomfort when he fouled off a pitch during his plate appearance in the fifth. Lowe hit a single on the next pitch and winced as he left the batter’s box and ran gingerly to first.

The 27-year-old Lowe hit .241 with 10 homers, 34 RBIs and 25 stolen bases in 106 games last season. He had hip inflammation during spring training in 2024. He strained his right oblique and didn’t make his season debut until May 6, then was sidelined by the ailment between May 22 and June 5.

Mets’ Francisco Alvarez participates in receiving drills with injured left hand

Francisco Alvarez still isn’t expected to make his regular-season debut until sometime in late April, but the injured Mets catcher is continuing to make strides in his recovery.

Prior to Saturday’s rubber game against the Houston Astros, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared a positive update on Alvarez, revealing that the 23-year-old participated in receiving drills with soft baseballs while using his surgically-repaired left hand. Mendoza simply called the workout “a good sign.”

Alvarez, who fractured his left hamate bone on March 8 during live at-bats in camp, had stiches removed from his hand on Monday. Mendoza mentioned on Wednesday that baseball activities were on the horizon for Alvarez once strength work began. The latest news suggests that he’s still on track to return on the shorter end of the initial six-to-eight week recovery timeline.

“Maybe six weeks,” Alvarez said on March 12. “My goal is to make that as quick as possible… They said after the third week, maybe I can start hitting. It’s on me. If my body takes more time than normal, maybe take eight weeks. But it’s very on me. If I feel comfortable, if I feel good, I can move quicker.”

Due to the injury, Alvarez was limited to just nine spring training games in which he hit .227 (5-for-22) with five walks, two RBI, and 11 strikeouts. He’s also dealt with a string of bad luck to his left thumb, as he tore a ligament last April against the Los Angeles Dodgers and needed surgery that kept him out of the lineup until mid-June.

Only time will tell how Alvarez’s thumb responds to additional catching and hitting activities, but the Mets are counting on his production in the heart of the lineup. He wound up playing 100 games last season, slashing .237/.307/.403 with 11 home runs, 14 doubles, and 47 RBI in 342 plate appearances.

Scherzer allows two HRs, leaves Blue Jays debut after three innings because of right lat soreness

TORONTO — Three-time Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer left his debut start with the Toronto Blue Jays on Saturday because of soreness in his right lat muscle.

Facing Baltimore, Scherzer allowed two runs and three hits, including two solo home runs. He threw 45 pitches in three innings, 28 for strikes. Scherzer struck out one and walked none.

Earlier this month, the 40-year-old Scherzer had a spring training start pushed back because of thumb pain.

Baltimore’s Colton Cowser put Scherzer in an early hole with a 417-foot drive to center on the second pitch of the game.

Jordan Westburg’s two-out drive off Scherzer traveled 434 feet for the longest home run of his career.

Scherzer signed a one-year, $15.5 million contract with Toronto in February. He went 2-4 with a 3.95 ERA in nine starts for Texas last season, starting the year on the injured list while recovering from lower back surgery. He also had a stint on the IL with shoulder fatigue and didn’t pitch after Sept. 14 because of a left hamstring strain.

Right-hander Richard Lovelady replaced Scherzer in the fourth.

Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell hits first career MLB home run

Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell hits first career MLB home run originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston Red Sox prospect Kristian Campbell is making his presence felt.

The Red Sox rookie hit his first career MLB home run in the fourth inning of Saturday night’s road game against the Texas Rangers.

Campbell crushed a pitch over the middle of the plate and sent the ball 431 feet over the fence in left-center field:

Campbell went 1-for-3 in the Opening Day win over the Rangers on Thursday before going 2-for-4 at the plate in Friday’s loss.

Campbell entered the season as the Red Sox’s second-best prospect and the No. 7 ranked prospect in all of baseball, per MLB.com.

He’s a tremendous hitter and a quality defender. Don’t be surprised if Campbell plays a meaningful role in Boston’s success this season.

Yankees set franchise record with nine home runs, including three from Aaron Judge, in 20-9 win over Brewers

The Yankees hit a franchise record nine home runs to beat the Milwaukee Brewers, 20-9, on Saturday afternoon.

Here are the takeaways…

– New York started the game off with a splash, well … four splashes, to be exact.

Paul Goldschmidt — batting in the leadoff spot for the first time in his career — Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judgecrushed back-to-back-to-back home runs on three straight pitches from former Yankee Nestor Cortes in the bottom of the first inning. It was the first time in MLB history a team has hit home runs on the first three pitches they saw (h/t Sarah Langs).

Then, with two outs, Austin Wells joined in on the fun and hit his second homer of the year to give New York a 4-0 lead.

– It didn’t take long for the Yanks to add to their lead, as Anthony Volpe hit a three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning to make it a 7-3 game. New York kept its foot on the gas, knocking Cortes out of the game and loading the bases in the third inning for Bellinger, who singled to drive in another run. Judge then dropped the hammer with a grand slam, pushing the lead to 12-3. Jazz Chisholm felt left out and hit a solo shot to join the party, upping the score to 13-3. The seven home runs through three innings is the most in MLB history.

– The Yanks continued the barrage in the bottom of the fourth inning. Bellinger drove in Trent Grisham on a sac fly and Judge hit his third homer of the afternoon, a two-run blast, to make it 16-4. That gave New York eight home runs in the game, tying a franchise record. The major league record for home runs in a game is 10, set by the Toronto Blue Jays on Sept. 14, 1987.

– Overlooked by the record-setting offense was Max Fried, who took the mound for the first time in pinstripes. After a quick first inning, Fried got into some trouble with two on and one out, and let up an RBI single to Vinny Capra. A throwing error by Volpe allowed another run to cross the plate, and then Fried gave up a single and made an error of his own to give the Brewers their third run. He struck out William Contreras with runners on second and third to escape the jam.

Fried got through the third inning unscathed, despite his second HBP of the day. He allowed a one-out double to Jackson Chourio in the fourth, and after a third error, surrendered an RBI single to Rhys Hoskins. Errors continued to plague the Yanks, as Pablo Reyes had his second and Chisholm had one to give Milwaukee runners on the corners. Chourio grounded out back to Fried, allowing the runner to score from third, and Christian Yelich drove in another for their sixth run, ending the lefty starter’s day.

Overall, Fried allowed two earned runs on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts across 4.2 innings (94 pitches).

– Bellinger’s RBI single and Judge’s RBI double made it 18-6 in the bottom of the sixth. Oswald Peraza pinch-hit forReyes in the seventh inning and hit a two-run homer to put the Yanks up 20-6, helping set a new franchise record with nine jacks in one game.

– J.C. Escarra made his MLB debut in the bottom of the seventh, pinch-hitting for Wells. The 29-year-old struck out swinging against LHP Chad Patrick. Escarra popped out to third in his second at-bat in the eighth inning. With the score out of hand, veteran Carlos Carrasco tossed the final two innings and allowed three runs on five hits, including a homer, with two strikeouts.

Game MVP: Aaron Judge

Judge recorded his third career three-homer game, tying him with Alex Rodriguez and Joe DiMaggio for second in Yankees history behind Lou Gehrig’s four.

The reigning AL MVP finished 4-for-6 with three homers, a double, and a career-best eight RBI.

Highlights

What’s next

The Yankees and Brewers wrap up their three-game series in The Bronx on Sunday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Marcus Stroman is set to take the mound and will go up against RHP Aaron Civale.