Like it or not, the Cincinnati Reds‘ Elly De La Cruz just dumped a ton of fuel on the torpedo-style bat conversation that’s engulfed MLB.
The so-called torpedo bats − the MLB-legal, tailor-made bats with weight redistributed toward the label − were thought to have aided the Yankees as they crushed 15 home runs in their three-game set against the Milwaukee Brewers. Nine were reportedly hit with the new bats.
Playing against the Texas Rangers Monday at Great American Ball Park, De La Cruz picked up the bat for an official game for the first time, and the results were similar to what took place at Yankee Stadium.
De La Cruz went 4-for-5 with two home runs in a 14-3 Reds win. Both De La Cruz homers were hit deep to center field, with the first-inning shot landing on the turf berm and the seventh-inning homer hitting the base of the batter’s eye. Combined, the homers stretched for 854 feet.
De La Cruz, a switch hitter who batted from the left side in the series opener against Texas, also singled in the first inning and sandwiched an RBI line-drive double to the opposite field between his homers. He ended the night with seven RBI, tying a Reds single-game club record for RBI by a switch hitter.
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The game was the fourth multi-homer game of De La Cruz’s career.
It’s hard to separate De La Cruz’s night with the torpedo-style bat in his hand and the rest of the conversation around the equipment innovation that is the talk of the North American sports world.
Of course, it’s also important to acknowledge De La Cruz had a penchant for spectacular and jaw-dropping moments long before the phrase “torpedo bat” became a baseball-ism. Needless to say, the bat didn’t get full credit afterward.
“I think it’s more the player than the bat,” Reds manager Terry Francona said.
But even on De La Cruz’s long list of impressive firsts and achievements, Monday’s performance was up there with the best of them − and the torpedo bat was his tool of choice on the night. He said Monday’s game was his first official game with the torpedo bat, adding: “I just want to know if it feels good and it definitely does.”
De La Cruz said now-former Yankee and Reds catcher Jose Trevino discussed the bat, which he’s used for over a year, during this past spring training.
Asked if he’d use the torpedo bat again, De La Cruz just laughed.
After the Yankees’ Aaron Judge offered a stiff rebuke of the torpedo bat this past weekend in the midst of the home-run barrage at Yankee Stadium, De La Cruz made it clear that he was a burgeoning superstar unafraid to test out the tool.
De La Cruz’s performance overshadowed a historic debut by Reds starter Brady Singer, who became the first Cincinnati pitcher making his debut to throw seven shutout innings of one-hit baseball since 1900. And even Singer was quick to give full credit to De La Cruz.
“Elly’s really good at baseball,” Singer said. “It’s fun to watch.”
De La Cruz helped break the game open with a three-run homer in the second inning that landed on the turf berm in center field.
In the seventh inning, De La Cruz then hammered a two-run homer 436 feet off the centerfield batter’s eye. The exit velocity on the shot was measured at about 110 mph, according to MLB.com.
Collectively, the two home runs traveled 854 feet, and he managed to sandwich a sixth-inning RBI double in between the two moonshots.
Matt McLain went 2-for-3 in the game with a home run, a walk, three RBI and four runs scored. The home run marked his third in as many games, but this, too, was overshadowed by De La Cruz.
Reds hitting coach Chris Valaika has made torpedo bats and related resources available to Reds players since spring training.
There’s plenty of split opinion on the bats throughout baseball, and the Reds’ clubhouse is a microcosm of that.
Reds outfielder Jake Fraley said Monday he’s waiting to hear the results from the analysis on his swing and is open to trying the new bat.
Spencer Steer indicated Monday to The Enquirer he was open to the torpedo. Meanwhile, Christian Encarnacion-Strand and backup catcher Austin Wynns are firmly in the “no torpedo” camp.
