Mets handle Marlins 10-4, but attention turns to batting trend taking MLB by storm

The Miami Marlins didn’t hold their early momentum for long Monday night, but the buzz around the ballpark wasn’t just about the scoreboard.

Miami dropped the opener of a three-game series to the New York Mets, 10–4, after giving up eight unanswered runs in the middle innings. Pete Alonso’s grand slam in the fifth was the exclamation point. Yet for as much as the Mets flexed their firepower, the story gaining traction behind the scenes had more to do with the way teams are trying to build that power in the first place.

A uniquely weighted training tool called the torpedo bat, made famous by the New York Yankees and now linked to the Marlins, is becoming one of the most talked-about trends in Major League Baseball. The bat’s creator, Aaron Leanhardt, was hired this offseason by Miami as a hitting coordinator.

While there’s no official confirmation the team is using the bat in games, its presence has drawn attention throughout spring training and now into the regular season.

“It’s not a bat, it’s a tool,” Leanhardt said during a pregame interview on the field. “It’s about movement efficiency. What it really does is teach a hitter to move more like an athlete.”

Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said the organization has welcomed Leanhardt’s methods as part of a broader commitment to innovation.

“We’re always open to exploring tools that can help our hitters find their best swings,” said McCullough before first pitch. “Aaron’s a smart guy. He’s got a vision for development, and we’ve given him space to bring those ideas into the building.”

Griffin Conine, who hit a walk-off home run Sunday, entered late in Monday’s game and notched a ninth-inning single, said he’s intrigued by the bat but hasn’t yet incorporated it into his process.

“So I’m going to wait to see how that shakes out, but it’s definitely interesting,” said Conine.

When asked about the best hitting advice he has ever received, especially the unconventional stuff, Conine didn’t hesitate.

“Probably the best one that sounds weird is… just being dumb at the plate,” he said. “I think too much sometimes… and I think the best hitters when they get in the box, all you’re thinking about is the ball.”

That question, about the oddest tip that stuck — revealed a through line in the way hitters talk about feel and fluidity. Mets third baseman Mark Vientos, a graduate of Plantation American Heritage who reached base twice and drove in a run, offered his own version.

“Yes, I thought about the torpedo bat… I think it’s interesting. I’ll definitely try it out just to see,” said Vientos. “You never know.”

And on the strangest advice that’s actually worked? “Someone told me to pretend that you’re almost drunk at the plate… meaning like relaxed. Relaxed thighs, relaxed body. You’re quicker to the ball more so than tight and stressed.”

Even Alonso, who has built a career on launching baseballs into the stratosphere, offered a measured perspective on the torpedo bat’s place in today’s game.

“Well, I mean, the torpedo bat, I just think it’s a tool for certain guys that it could help out,” Alonso said, who has swung an axe handle bat since 2018.

“A lot of guys mess around with different bat models. So I think it’s just like another new wave of thinking… hitters are just trying to catch up.”

For Alonso, one unorthodox message from a former coach still resonates:

“Make sure that there’s never too many cooks in the kitchen,” he said, quoting a former Triple-A manager. “That’s the best hitting advice that he’s given me.”

Despite the noise around innovation, the Marlins’ focus remains on execution. Otto Lopez gave Miami a 1–0 lead with a solo home run in the first, but starter Cal Quantrill surrendered six runs in the fifth, including Alonso’s grand slam, and the Mets never looked back. New York finished with 11 hits and four home runs on the night.

The Marlins collected nine hits of their own, including a solo homer from Eric Wagaman, but struggled to capitalize with runners in scoring position. They struck out 12 times and left multiple runners stranded in both the second and eighth innings.

Still, even in defeat, the conversation around Miami’s clubhouse hinted at a bigger picture: one that values growth, experimentation, and player development over any one result.

What Leanhardt hopes to build is bigger than just a bat:

“The goal is to move better, react better, and create more consistent results… it’s just about giving hitters the tools.”

This story was originally published March 31, 2025 at 11:31 PM.