The Bronx Tales: An Opening Weekend to Remember - 15 Home Runs, Aaron Judge’s MVP Quest, and Blatant Yankees Hate Over Some Torpedo Bats
- Will Tondo
- Mar 30
- 3 min read
If you had imagined an Opening Weekend following an embarrassing World Series loss—capped off by your prized free agent Juan Soto ditching the Bronx for Queens—this is exactly how you would have dreamed it. A clean sweep. 36 runs scored. 15 home runs (Aaron Judge blasted four of his own). Solid pitching. Nasty bullpen work. The debut of newcomers like Paul Goldschmit and Cody Bellinger. The growth of young stars like Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe. The dominance of our Captain, Aaron Judge. It was exciting. It was thrilling. It was everything we could've asked for - it was New York Yankees baseball.
The New York Yankees kicked off the 2025 season in electrifying fashion, sweeping the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series that showcased an offensive onslaught for the ages. The series opener on March 27 saw the Yankees secure a 4-2 victory. Catcher Austin Wells made history by becoming the first catcher to hit a leadoff home run on Opening Day. Shortstop Anthony Volpe added a solo shot in the second inning, providing an early cushion. Starting pitcher Carlos Rodón delivered a solid performance, allowing just one run over 5 1/3 innings with seven strikeouts. March 29 will be etched in Yankees lore as the day the team unleashed an unprecedented power display. In a 20-9 rout, the Yankees set a franchise record by belting nine home runs. The fireworks began immediately, with Paul Goldschmidt, Cody Bellinger, and Aaron Judge hitting back-to-back-to-back home runs on the first three pitches of the game—a feat never before accomplished in MLB history. Judge was the star of the day, launching three homers, including a grand slam, and collecting a career-high eight RBIs.Additional home runs came from Austin Wells, Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm Jr., and Oswald Peraza, contributing to the offensive deluge. The Yankees capped off the series with a 12-3 victory on March 30. Judge continued his torrid pace, hitting his fourth home run of the series, setting a franchise record for the most home runs in the first three games of a season. Chisholm Jr. added two more homers, while the team’s pitching staff held the Brewers in check to seal the sweep. It was a performance you'd call "Evil Empire-esque"—the Bronx Bombers showed up and did what they do best: mash home runs. Naturally, that sparked the usual online hate, with critics once again bashing the short porch. I always find that argument funny, considering the opposing team gets the same advantage for all nine innings.
The real "controversy," however, was the debut of a new bat that took the baseball world by storm. Well, actually not "so-new" nor exclusive, as it was first launched during spring training, and several non-Yankee players across the league were using the style of bat. Amid the Yankees' offensive explosion, attention turned to the unconventional bats wielded by several players. Dubbed "torpedo bats," these implements feature a unique design with more wood mass closer to the label, purportedly enlarging the sweet spot. Developed by Aaron Leanhardt, an MIT-educated physicist and former Yankees analyst, the bats have sparked debate across the league. An absolute masterclass move by the Yankees. They've talked about analytics for ages, and now they finally hired a genius to develop this. Hats off, and thank you. Anthony Volpe is about to pop off, Austin Wells is going to have a field day, and Jazz Chisholm will unlock his full potential. I love it. Critics, including Brewers closer Trevor Megill, have voiced concerns about the fairness of these bats. Megill described them as resembling "something used in slow-pitch softball," questioning their place in professional baseball. However, Major League Baseball has confirmed that the torpedo bats comply with current regulations, allowing their continued use.
If it weren’t the Yankees, this would be a complete “nothing-burger.” It would be hailed as innovative, clever—even a trendsetter across the league. But because it’s the Yankees, it’s labeled “classless,” “cheating,” and “harmful to the integrity of the game.”
And the same people making those accusations are calling for Aaron Judge’s head. While many of his teammates have embraced the new bat technology, Judge has stuck with his traditional lumber, stating, “What I’ve done the past couple of seasons speaks for itself.” Despite that, his performance remains unmatched. With four home runs in the opening series, he set a new Yankees record for the most homers in the first three games of a season—further cementing his place as one of baseball’s elite talents. The uproar surrounding the torpedo bats appears to be another chapter in the perennial narrative of Yankees envy. As the team continues to dominate, detractors will undoubtedly search for explanations beyond sheer talent and preparation. However, the Yankees' early-season success speaks for itself, and as long as they operate within the rules, innovation should be celebrated, not scorned.
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