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Manny Machado Wants What the Yankees Are Swinging

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Kristie Ackert | Last updated Mar 31, 2025 12:00 AM ET

Even across the country in San Diego, Manny Machado is hearing the buzz about the Yankees’ bats. The Padres' third baseman wants in.

During an in-game interview on ESPN’s “Sunday Night Baseball”, the Padres star was asked about New York’s recent power surge and their use of the now-infamous “torpedo” bats. His response was telling of how hitters are reacting across the league.

“I have no idea what they are,” Machado said, drawing laughs from the broadcast crew. “They should send a few over here if they’re going to be hitting homers like that. So whoever’s making ‘em, they can send a few over to Petco with this big ballpark.”

The bats in question, engineered by former Yankees staffer and MIT physicist Aaron Leanhardt, feature a distinctive weight distribution, moving mass closer to the hitter’s hands. The idea is to create a faster, more controlled swing without sacrificing barrel size. Major League Baseball has confirmed the bats are legal, but they’ve still drawn side-eyes and headlines, especially after the Yankees hit 15 home runs in the first three games of the season.

While Brewers closer Trevor Megill voiced frustration about the bats on Saturday, others across the league, like Milwaukee’s Rhys Hoskins and now Machado, have taken a more curious or even amused approach. Reports are that Chicago Cubs infielder Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner are using them already.

On the broadcast, analyst Eduardo Perez reported that the Atlanta Braves had already contacted the bat companies to put in a large order of the bats.

The new Yankees’ bats will eventually end up in San Diego. Machado’s comments remind us that baseball is a copycat business, and what works always spreads across the league.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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