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Here's Why The Yankees' Controversial New Bats Were Legal

Originally posted on The Spun | By Kameron Duncan | Last updated Mar 29, 2025 8:57 PM ET

The New York Yankees put on an offensive performance for the ages on Saturday, scoring a staggering 20 runs in their blowout victory over the Milwaukee Brewers.

The Yankees set a new franchise record with nine home runs on Saturday, hitting three of them on the first three pitches thrown. American League MVP Aaron Judge ended the day with three of those home runs, as well as a total of eight RBI.

During the game, YES Network announcer Michael Kay discussed the bats that certain Yankees players used, noting that they had a larger barrel than the standard bat.

Michael Kay explains that the Yankees made new bats "where they moved a lot of the wood into the label so the harder part of the bat is going to strike the ball."

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“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 during the game.

“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.”

Fans wondered if the bats were legal, due to their exaggerated shape and the Yankees' offensive display. Despite appearing to circumvent the rules, the bats are perfectly legal and comply with MLB rules.

MLB rules dictate that “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 Yankees' new bats may look different, but everything lines up with the rules.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MARCH 29: Aaron Judge #99 of the New York Yankees hits a grand slam home run in the third inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on March 29, 2025 in New York City. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)Mike Stobe/Getty Images

Everything also seemed to line up for New York at the plate, as they scored 20 runs for the first time in five years. It's also only the 10th time they've reached that mark in the last 25 seasons, showing just how rare it is for a team to hit this well.

The Yankees are now 2-0 to start the young MLB season, and they'll look to complete the sweep against the Brewers on Sunday. Aaron Civale will be on the mound for Milwaukee, while Marcus Stroman is expected to pitch for the Yankees.

The Yankees will remain at home to begin the week, starting a three-game set with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night.

This article first appeared on The Spun and was syndicated with permission.

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