It wasn’t only the scoreboard that lit up during the New York Yankees‘ fantastic victory by 20-9 over the Milwaukee Brewers. While the fans were thrilled by the nine home runs in a single game, which shattered records and sent balls flying out of the stadium, a bigger buzz took over the baseball world. It was about the sleek, oddly shaped bats many sluggers carried.

The so-called Torpedo bats became the talk of the town. It’s different and engineered with a unique weight distribution that shifts mass lower to the barrel. Now according to most, this is just genius, or maybe a loophole giving Yankee hitters an edge.

But amidst all the hype, one big name wanted nothing to do with them—Aaron Judge.

Judge, the Yankees captain and one of baseball’s finest hitters,  firmly believes in the mantra—if it isn’t broke, why fix it? When asked about the controversial  “Torpedo” bat, he said, “What I did the past couple of seasons speaks for itself. Why try to change something if you have something that’s working?” A reply as sharp as his swing. But it’s hard to argue with his logic, especially as Judge continues to build another MVP-level season. In Saturday’s game alone, he went 4-for-6 with three home runs and eight RBIs—proof that he doesn’t need a bat upgrade to dominate the mound.

However, not everyone on the team is dismissive of the Torpedo bats. Cody Bellinger, the Yankees’ key offseason gem, is quite convinced that these bats have potential. Speaking to the New York Daily News, he explained, “There are ways to move the weight of the bat. Some guys like top-heavy; some guys like hand-loaded bats. You just have to find a bat that feels good, that kind of moves with you. I’m a believer in swinging different things.”

Bellinger tested the bats during spring training and quite liked them. But whether it was the best or simply Yankee firepower, the results were undeniable. They crushed the Brewers’ pitching staff, racking up 16 hits and a franchise-record nine home runs.

Are the torpedo bats used by the Yankees even legal?

But with all that hype, there is a big elephant in the room—are these bats legal? Are they pushing the boundaries of baseball’s rulebook? Anything that drastically changes the way the game is played is bound to turn heads. However, before the fingers could be pointed at, maybe the Yankees for having an unfair advantage, MLB stepped in to clarify. According to Rule 3.02 of the MLB rulebook, the bats must be smooth and round, with a maximum diameter of 2.61 inches and a length of no more than 42 inches. And yes, you guessed it right—the Yankees’ unique Torpedo bats check all the boxes. So, as far as the rulebook is concerned, they’re in the clear.

But then comes a question: why the change, and how does it work? YES Network’s Michael Kay broke it down perfectly. “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,” Kay explained. “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 would actually strike the ball.” But it wasn’t just Volpe using them either; Jazz Chisholm Jr. was spotted with one. On Saturday, Chisholm went 2-for-5 with a homer, while Anthony Volpe finished 1-for-4 with a homer and two walks.

At the end of the day, the Yankees’ offensive explosion wasn’t all about the bats. Judge and Bellinger put up stellar performances, driving home runs and electrifying the crowd. Still, with the Torpedo bats now in the spotlight, don’t be surprised if other teams start taking a close look at their potential.

Baseball is, after all, a game of adjustments. Remember when the rosin bags were used by only a few players before becoming standard? If there is a legal way to gain an edge, you can bet teams will jump on it. Don’t you think?