Surprising Reaction to Yankees' Controversial New Bats

In a Q&A with The New York Times, Manfred said the bats that the Yankees and other teams are swinging are “absolutely good for baseball.” Not because the league wants the Yankees to win—though that theory is making the rounds—but because the controversy is good for attention.

“I believe that issues like the torpedo bat and the debate around it demonstrate the fact that baseball still occupies a unique place in our culture,” Manfred said. “Because people get into a complete frenzy over something that’s really nothing at the end of the day. The bats comply with

Pitchers started complaining almost immediately. But the Yankees’ offensive barrage gave the story real traction, overshadowing the fact that players on other teams were using them too. 

 For a league still fighting for relevance, the timing of the controversy  worked.

Manfred said players have been adjusting sweet spots for years, and that this isn’t new. But it does reveal how much the public still cares.

He also pushed back on the idea that the league is chasing home runs.

“What we learned through all the research we did with fans is that athleticism matters the most,” he said. “Anything that promotes action, movement, the ability to show how athletic you are, is huge.”

In a time when ESPN is canceling it’s long-term contract with MLB and ratings are down, it’s fair to wonder if the Yankees’ new bats just saved baseball.