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Stanton's Elbow Injury: Are Torpedo Bats to Blame?
Stanton's Elbow Injury: Are Torpedo Bats to Blame?
NEW YORK -- The recent surge in popularity of “torpedo” bats in Major League Baseball has raised questions, particularly regarding New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s current elbow injury. Stanton, an early adopter of the uniquely shaped bat, declined to definitively link his season-opening injured list placement to its use last season, stating, “You’re not going to get the story you’re looking for.”
While he alluded to "bat adjustments" as a possible contributing factor to his epicondylitis (tennis elbow), Stanton affirmed he will continue using the torpedo bat upon his return. Currently undergoing platelet-rich plasma injections and hitting off a pitching robot, Stanton's return remains uncertain, requiring a minor league rehab assignment of unspecified length. He emphasized the unusual nature of his situation, noting, “This is very unique. I definitely haven’t missed a full spring before.”
The torpedo bat, characterized by its barrel positioned closer to the handle, gained widespread attention following the Yankees' record-setting home run performance against the Milwaukee Brewers. Several Yankees, including Stanton, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Austin Wells, utilized the bats during the series. However, not all Yankees home runs were hit with torpedo bats; Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, and Oswaldo Peraza hit six home runs with traditional bats during the same series.
While Stanton acknowledged past bat adjustments focusing on length and weight, he described the torpedo bat's design as "making a lot of sense," highlighting its comfortable feel. Despite leading the majors in average bat velocity (81.2 mph) last season while using the bat, Stanton's overall regular season performance was described as a "rebound, but not spectacular," with a .233 batting average, 27 home runs, and a .773 OPS. He followed this with seven home runs in 14 playoff games.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone compared the adoption of torpedo bats to "the evolution of equipment," emphasizing the personalized approach to their integration and refuting the notion that the bats are solely responsible for the team's recent offensive success. He stated that the organization isn't pushing players to use them and that the science behind their effectiveness is complex, noting, "There's a lot more to it than, 'I'll take the torpedo bat on the shelf over there.'"
Multiple MLB executives interviewed expressed varied opinions on the bats' long-term impact. Some believe the bats will see increased popularity, while others consider the effect to be potentially minimal or even a placebo. The consensus among many, however, is that further data and player experimentation are necessary to determine their overall effectiveness. Despite the recent hype, the torpedo bat, while now in the spotlight, has been in use by some players for over a year.
NEW YORK -- The recent surge in popularity of “torpedo” bats in Major League Baseball has raised questions, particularly regarding New York Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton’s current elbow injury. Stanton, an early adopter of the uniquely shaped bat, declined to definitively link his season-opening injured list placement to its use last season, stating, “You’re not going to get the story you’re looking for.”
While he alluded to "bat adjustments" as a possible contributing factor to his epicondylitis (tennis elbow), Stanton affirmed he will continue using the torpedo bat upon his return. Currently undergoing platelet-rich plasma injections and hitting off a pitching robot, Stanton's return remains uncertain, requiring a minor league rehab assignment of unspecified length. He emphasized the unusual nature of his situation, noting, “This is very unique. I definitely haven’t missed a full spring before.”
The torpedo bat, characterized by its barrel positioned closer to the handle, gained widespread attention following the Yankees' record-setting home run performance against the Milwaukee Brewers. Several Yankees, including Stanton, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, and Austin Wells, utilized the bats during the series. However, not all Yankees home runs were hit with torpedo bats; Aaron Judge, Ben Rice, and Oswaldo Peraza hit six home runs with traditional bats during the same series.
While Stanton acknowledged past bat adjustments focusing on length and weight, he described the torpedo bat's design as "making a lot of sense," highlighting its comfortable feel. Despite leading the majors in average bat velocity (81.2 mph) last season while using the bat, Stanton's overall regular season performance was described as a "rebound, but not spectacular," with a .233 batting average, 27 home runs, and a .773 OPS. He followed this with seven home runs in 14 playoff games.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone compared the adoption of torpedo bats to "the evolution of equipment," emphasizing the personalized approach to their integration and refuting the notion that the bats are solely responsible for the team's recent offensive success. He stated that the organization isn't pushing players to use them and that the science behind their effectiveness is complex, noting, "There's a lot more to it than, 'I'll take the torpedo bat on the shelf over there.'"
Multiple MLB executives interviewed expressed varied opinions on the bats' long-term impact. Some believe the bats will see increased popularity, while others consider the effect to be potentially minimal or even a placebo. The consensus among many, however, is that further data and player experimentation are necessary to determine their overall effectiveness. Despite the recent hype, the torpedo bat, while now in the spotlight, has been in use by some players for over a year.
