MLB Pick: Diamondbacks-Yankees Over 8.5 (-102) at BetOnline (visit our BetOnline Review)
The New York Yankees have a new offensive weapon, so we’re putting the Over in Tuesday’s MLB picks versus the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Let’s break down the latest baseball odds, key matchups, and best bets before locking in your wagers at top sportsbooks.
If you’re looking for more value picks, make sure to take a look at our YouTube channel for more daily betting advice. Today, our expert has advice on the Twins vs. White Sox and Braves vs. Dodgers games.
Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Yankees
Tuesday, April 01, 2025 – 07:05 PM EDT at Yankee Stadium
Maybe this is just a big ol’ nothing burger with nothing sauce – or maybe the New York Yankees have broken baseball. Everybody’s talking about those “torpedo bats” some of the Yankees are using this year, especially after they blasted an MLB-record 15 home runs in their season-opening three-game set versus the Milwaukee Brewers. That’s a lot of dingers.
So why aren’t we putting the Yankees (3-0 SU and ATS) in our MLB picks for Tuesday’s matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks (2-2 SU and ATS)? Partly because of who’s pitching for Arizona, but also because this torpedo bat nonsense might catch on, and the Over (2-1 for the Yankees, 2-1-1 for the Snakes) might be the sharp pick across the majors going forward – at least until the betting market catches up. And no, this is not an April Fool article.
What Is a Torpedo Bat?
It’s a colorful name for a bat that’s a bit chunkier around the label, just below the barrel. According to what YES Network announcer Michael Kay told viewers on Saturday, the Yankees were studying SS Anthony Volpe’s swing, and found he was connecting more with this part of the bat – so they hired an MIT guy (physicist Aaron Leanhardt, now with the Miami Marlins) to help redesign the bat and put more weight in that spot.
Sure enough, New York blasted a team-record nine home runs against Milwaukee that day, easily winning 20-9 (Over 9) as –151 home faves; then they drilled another four homers in Sunday’s 12-3 victory (Over 8), cashing in at –134 on the MLB odds board.
Does the Torpedo Bat Really Work?
Maybe. Other players are intrigued enough that it’s starting to spread; the Yankees and Chicago Cubs were first in line, but several players on the Minnesota Twins are trying it out, as are Toronto Blue Jays utility guy Davis Schneider and Tampa Bay Rays infielder Junior Caminero.
The most famous proponent of the torpedo bat, at least for now, is Yankees UT Jazz Chisholm Jr. After struggling to recapture the magic that made him an All-Star with the Miami Marlins in 2022, Chisholm was shipped to the Yankees ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline.
Now he’s Babe Ruth all of a sudden; Chisholm swatted 11 dingers in just 46 games last year wearing the pinstripes, and he launched another three against Milwaukee – including two on Saturday.
So Why Not Bet on the Yankees?
Because Corbin Burnes (3.80 xFIP last year with Baltimore) will be making his Diamondback debut. Burnes has been an All-Star for four years running, although he’s yet to post the same kind of numbers that landed him the National League Cy Young Award in 2021 with the Brewers. Current Yankees have a combined .585 lifetime OPS off Burnes, including just three home runs in 100 at-bats.
New York responds with Will Warren (4.00 xFIP last year in 22.2 innings), a fresh-faced 25-year-old who just barely made the Yankees starting rotation this year in the No. 5 spot.
This will be the first crack at Warren for anyone on the Snakes roster, at least at the big-league level, but they’re probably rubbing their hands with glee at the thought of facing the No. 62-ranked MLB prospect at FanGraphs.
The Pick
We’re expecting a clear evening in the Bronx with low humidity and temperatures in the low 50s, with winds around 10-15 mph blowing toward that notoriously short right field corner (314 feet).
Clearing that fence won’t be easy with Burnes on the mound, but the jet stream and those crazy torpedo bats might do the job for us; bet accordingly, and may the sphere be with you.
MLB Pick: Diamondbacks-Yankees Over 8.5 (-102) at BetOnline
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
