Torpedo bat designer says it's more about the players than the bat model

MIAMI (AP) — For the MIT-educated physicist behind the torpedo bat, it's more about the talent of the players than their lumber at the plate.

The torpedo model — a striking design in which wood is moved lower down the barrel after the label and shapes the end a little like a bowling pin — became the talk of major league baseball over the weekend.

The New York Yankees hit a team-record nine homers that traveled a combined 3,695 feet on Saturday. Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe and Jazz Chisholm Jr. all went deep using a torpedo bat. New York's 15 homers through the first three games matched the 2006 Detroit Tigers for the most in major league history.

Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly De La Cruz used a torpedo bat for a game for the first time on Monday night. He hit his first two homers of the season and finished with a career-high seven RBIs in a 14-3 victory over Texas.

“At the end of the day it’s about the batter not the bat,” said Aaron Leanhardt, a former physics professor at the University of Michigan who is being credited with the design. “It’s about the hitter and their hitting coaches. I’m happy to always help those guys get a little bit better but ultimately it’s up to them to put good swings and grind it out every day. So, credit to those guys.”

The 23-year-old De La Cruz said the torpedo bat felt good. Asked if he planned to use it again after his performance, he just laughed in response.

Leanhardt, 48, a field coordinator for the Miami Marlins, said the origin of the bat dates to 2023, when he worked for the Yankees. He said several versions were tested that didn’t create the desired effect.

Leanhardt was approached by major league and minor league players early in the design stage, seeking information on the bats.

"I’ll let the players always talk about their own experiences. I’m not going to drag anyone into this,” Leanhardt said Monday. “But there were definitely guys on the major league side and on the minor league side in 2023 that were definitely asking me questions and offering design advice and demoing them.”

Leanhardt said the past couple of days had been “surreal.” Some of Miami's players joked around with him as he answered questions from the media before their game against the New York Mets.

“The industry as a whole was probably a little bit more aware of this maybe than you guys were,” Leanhardt said. “Guys have been asking me about it. Guys have been wanting to swing them.”

Bat manufacturer Victus Sports dropped off a batch of torpedo bats for the Phillies just before first pitch of their home opener on Monday. Alec Bohm grabbed one, took about five swings and decided to use one.

His logic seemed sound: Look how it might have aided the Yankees.

“You see a team hit 20 homers and you’re gonna try it,” Bohm said. “It didn’t work.”

Bohm managed just one single with his new lumber. He noted it “felt just like a normal bat” and wasn’t sure if he would swing with a torpedo again any time soon.

“It’s a bat. It’s different,” he said. “It’ll probably run its course.”

Victus and Marucci Sports started selling torpedo bats online on Monday. Each company highlighted its offerings on social media. Chandler Bats also had new torpedo bats on its website.

Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich said he didn't feel like the bats had any effect on their opening series against the Yankees.

“I think they have a lot of really good players. That’s probably the biggest factor in how that went,” he said.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said shortstop Francisco Lindor used a similar bat in their series at Houston. He got the models late in spring training.

“Nothing new for us,” Mendoza said. “This is something that every team, every player continues to look for an edge and find ways to improve within the margins. And this is a perfect example.”

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb

Cincinnati Reds' Elly De La Cruz hits a two-run home run in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Texas Rangers, Monday, March 31, 2025, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)

New York Yankees' Austin Wells watches his home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' J.C. Escarra bats during the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Anthony Volpe bats with one of the team's newly-made torpedo-shaped bats in a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

New York Yankees' Aaron Judge hits a home run with one of the team's newly-made torpedo-shaped bats in a baseball game against the Milwaukee Brewers, Saturday, March 29, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Angelina Katsanis)

NEW YORK (AP) — Stocks wavered on Wall Street Friday to kick off the new year as early gains led by technology stocks failed to hold up.

The S&P 500 rose 0.2% after shifting between small gains and losses throughout the morning. The benchmark index is coming off a gain of more than 16% in 2025.

The Nasdaq composite rose 0.1%. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 289 points, or 0.6%, as of 2:32 p.m. Eastern.

Major indexes are closing a mostly tepid, shortened holiday week. Markets were closed Thursday for New Year’s Day.

Markets in Europe and Asia made strong gains. Indexes in Britain and South Korea hit records.

Technology stocks were steering the market, especially companies with a focus on artificial intelligence, continuing the trend that pushed the broader market to records in 2025.

Nvidia jumped 1.4% and was the biggest force trying to push the market higher. Broadcom rose 0.4%. But a 0.7% drop from Apple and a 2.4% fall for Microsoft helped to counter those gains.

Those technology companies are among the most valuable companies in the world and their outsized valuations give them more influence on the market's direction. That includes sometimes pushing the market up and down from hour to hour.

Technology companies have been a major focus because of advancements in artificial intelligence technology and the potential for growth within the sector. Wall Street has been betting that demand for computer chips and other items needed for data centers will help justify the big investments from technology companies and their pricey stock values.

Tesla fell 2.6% after reporting falling sales for a second year in a row.

Furniture gained ground following President Donald Trump's move to delay increased tariffs on upholstered furniture. RH rose 9.5% and Wayfair rose 6.3%.

E-commerce giant Alibaba climbed 4.3% and Baidu, maker of the Ernie chatbot, jumped 9.4% in Hong Kong after it said it plans to spin off its AI computer chip unit Kunlunxin, which would list shares in Hong Kong early in 2027. The plan is subject to regulatory approvals.

Crude oil prices were mostly stable. Prices for U.S. crude oil fell 0.1% to $57.38 per barrel. The price of Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.1% to $60.77 per barrel.

The price of gold fell 0.2%.

Treasury yields held steady in the bond market. The yield on the 10-year Treasury rose to 4.19% from 4.17% late Wednesday. The yield on the two-year Treasury, which moves more closely with expectations for what the Federal Reserve will do, held at 3.48% from late Wednesday.

Wall Street will move past the mostly quiet holiday season after Friday. The first full week of the new year will include several closely watched economic updates. They will also be some of the last big updates the Fed sees before its next meeting at the end of January.

Next week will feature private reports on the status of the services sector, which is the largest part of the U.S. economy, along with consumer sentiment. Government reports on the job market will also be released. They will all help paint a clearer picture of how various parts of the U.S. economy closed out 2025 and where it might be headed in 2026.

The Fed has had a more difficult task because of the complex shifts within the economy. It cut interest rates three times toward the end of 2025, partly to help counter a weakening jobs market. But inflation remains above its target rate of 2% and cutting interest rates could add more fuel to rising prices. Consumers have already expressed more caution amid the squeeze from stubborn inflation and the U.S. trade war with much of the world has added more uncertainty.

The Fed has already signaled concern and caution. Wall Street is betting that the central bank will hold its benchmark interest rate steady at its January meeting.

AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach contributed to this report.

Trader Jonathan Mueller works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Specialists Patrick King, left, and Douglas Johnson work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Vincent Napolitano, foreground, works with colleagues on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Fred Demarco works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Jonathan Mueller works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

Trader Michael Capolino works on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)

A screen shows the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) as participants applaud during the opening ceremony of the 2026 trading year at the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Dancers in traditional costumes perform to celebrate the opening for the 2026 trading year outside of the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

A worker walks near a screen showing the Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) after the opening ceremony of the 2026 trading year at the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

South Korean financial officers celebrate the opening for the 2026 trading year outside of the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)

Dancers in a bull-shaped costume perform to celebrate the opening for the 2026 trading year outside of the Korea Exchange in Seoul, South Korea, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)