The New York Yankees put on a show for their fans against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium on Saturday.
The only problem is many watching started to question whether New York’s offensive onslaught was legal.
First baseman Paul Goldschmidt, left fielder Cody Bellinger and right fielder Aaron Judge hit back-to-back-to-back home runs off Brewers starter and former teammate Nestor Cortes on the first three pitches of the first inning.
But the home-run parade didn’t stop there.
Catcher Austin Wells homered later in the first inning. Shortstop Anthony Volpe, third baseman Jazz Chisholm and Judge (grand slam) homered in the second inning. Judge went yard again in the fourth inning, giving the Yankees eight home runs in the first four innings and a 16-4 lead.
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge hits a solo home run in the first inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at Yankee Stadium.
Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
During New York’s offensive assault, play-by-play guy Michael Kay gave viewers at home a little context about a change the team recently made with its bats, which could have explained the Yankees’ sudden power surge.
“You see the shape of Chisholm’s bat?” Kay asked. “The Yankee front office, the analytics department, did a study on Anthony Volpe, and every single ball it seemed like he hit on the label. He didn’t hit any on the barrel, so they had bats made up where they moved a lot of the wood into the label, so the harder part of the bat is going to actually strike the ball. … It’ll allow you to wait a little bit longer.”
Kay’s explanation of New York’s equipment alterations piqued the interest of several users on social media who questioned if the team’s tactic was legal, prompting several fans to petition MLB and commissioner Rob Manfred to investigate the Yankees for possibly cheating.
“@MLB gonna need the Yankees bats checked. Thank you kindly,” one fan wrote.
“Someone from MLB may want to look into this. Eight HR’s for the Yanks this afternoon in the Bronx,” another fan proclaimed.
“@Yankees using illegal bats…@MLB do something,” pleaded one fan.
“@MLB care to explain?” asked another.
“Wow I guess Rob Manfred should put a stop to these cheaters,” remarked one user.
“It’s me, Rob Manfred. Yankees are now disqualified from the post season for illegal bats,” a second user quipped.
Second baseman Pablo Reyes, left fielder Jasson Dominguez, and center fielder Trent Grisham were the only Yankees starters who didn’t hit a home run through the first seven innings.
