Max Muncy became the first Los Angeles Dodgers player to use the new torpedo bat design in Wednesday’s game against the Atlanta Braves.
Muncy went 0-for-3 with the bowling pin-shaped bat before switching to his usual lumber for what wound up being a game-tying two-run double in the eighth inning.
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“Started with that bat, I felt good, swing felt good, but I during the at-bat I felt like the bat was causing me to be a little bit off plane, and a little in and out of the zone,” Muncy said of the torpedo bat.
“My swings felt good, but just a little bit off. So my last at-bat I decided to just go back to my regular bat. I was able to get a good swing on the pitch.”
Although Muncy wasn’t completely turned off by use of the torpedo bat, there were some issues in his first three plate appearances of the game.
“In the Dylan Lee at-bat, I know he made good pitches on the edge of the zone, but I felt like I was right on them,” Muncy began. “The swing just felt like there was something off with it. Not mechanically, but it just felt like there was something off. So that told me it was the bat.
“It’s one of those things where maybe I’m just not used to the weight distribution on the bat, but as I said the last couple days, traditionally I like my weight toward the end of the bat.
“This is something that takes the weight out of the end of the bat, so maybe it’s not for me. It’s for some guys, but maybe it’s just not for me.”
Will Max Muncy continue using torpedo bat?
Muncy sees some benefits with the torpedo bat but doesn’t think he will continue to use it in games.
“Probably mine,” Muncy answered when asked what bat he will use Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies.
“I do think there was some good to using the torpedo bat in BP and everything. It might be something where I practice with that and then go back to my bat for the game.
“It seemed to work out that last at-bat. Us baseball players are not superstitious at all or anything. We’ll see.”
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