Torpedo bats might be a placebo effect. Home runs are up, but not because of the bat—league stats barely budge. Yankees hit 9 of 15 HRs with them, yet Judge’s 4 without prove it’s the player, not the hype.
Inconsistent outcomes (De La Cruz’s 0-for-4, Volpe’s .200) and expert/player doubts (placebo comments) suggest confidence might be inflating their impact. Without broader, sustained stats, the placebo effect remains a plausible
The data—limited to early 2025 games—shows torpedo bats linked to home run bursts (9 of 15 for Yankees, De La Cruz’s 2) and bat speed gains (Volpe +3 mph), but not league-wide dominance (runs up 0.04).