Elly De La Cruz Joins Torpedo Bat Craze in MLB

The New York Yankees aren’t the only team benefitting from the torpedo bat.

On Monday night, Cincinnati Reds star Elly De La Cruz used the torpedo bat for the first time. In Cincinnati’s three-game series against the San Francisco Giants, De La Cruz went 3-for-11 with one RBI and zero extra-base hits. Against the Texas Rangers last night, De La Cruz’s first night using the torpedo bat, the budding superstar went 4-of-5 with two home runs, one double and knocked in seven runs.

Legendary manager Terry Francona — who is in his first season managing the Reds — spoke about his star’s performance following Cincinnati’s 14-3 victory.

“I think it’s more the player than the bat,” Francona said of De La Cruz. “I said that before the game, and I still do.”

Meanwhile, De La Cruz was peppered with questions about the torpedo bat and whether he was influenced by New York’s early success. The shortstop denied the Yankees having any influence on his choice to start using the bat, stating “It was because of, ‘How’s it feel like?'”

When a reporter asked if he plans to continue using the trendy bat, De La Cruz looked down and started laughing.

The torpedo bat has been the biggest storyline through the first two weeks of the season, but the bat quietly was used the past few seasons. Aaron Leanhardt, a 48-year-old Miami Marlins coach who has been credited by many for the design, spoke about the emergence of the product.

“There were definitely some major-league players that swung it in the big leagues in 2023,” Leanhardt said Monday. “As well as some minor-league players who swung it in some real baseball games in 2023, and it just kind of built up throughout 2024 into what it is today.”

Notably, Yankees slugger Giancarlo Stanton used the torpedo bat last year and found tremendous success in the postseason. The former MVP hit seven home runs, won the ALCS MVP and posted a 1.048 OPS for the AL Pennant winners. However, Stanton is currently sidelined with ligament damage in both elbows and told reporters that his injuries were likely tied to “bat adjustments” he made last year.

While there is no confirmed link between Stanton’s injuries and his use of the torpedo bats, organizations will surely look into the possible connection. In the meantime, players from around the league have spoken about their interest in the torpedo bat and their excitement in testing out the latest technology.

“It’s kind of exciting,” Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Max Muncy said. “We just had a long conversation about (how) in the 170 years and whatever that baseball has been around, the number of changes to the baseball bat has been minimal…everyone swung ash for 140 years and then you had one guy swing maple, and then they came out with birch, and really, that’s been all the changes. There’s been different shapes, but there hasn’t really been anything as drastic as maybe what this is right now.”

“I have learned absolutely nothing other than that they look like bowling pins,” Dodgers utility man Enrique Hernández said. “I ordered some. All of the cool kids are doing it.”

“I had teammates last year (with the Yankees) that asked me if I wanted to try it, but it never caught my attention,” Mets right fielder Juan Soto said, according to the New York Post. “But, yeah, I would try it.”