Major League Baseball will implement the Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System full-time beginning with the 2026 regular season. The ABS was used exclusively in the Minor Leagues before limited MLB experiments in Spring Training and during the 2025 All-Star Game. The joint competition committee approved the change, and 23 of the 30 teams voted in favor while seven opposed. The home-plate umpire remains responsible for calling balls and strikes, and the ABS provides a formal challenge mechanism for the batter, pitcher, or catcher. Only those three may immediately request a challenge by tapping their hat or helmet and vocalizing the challenge. Several players were initially unsure, but most view the system as a beneficial addition, representing the largest change since the 2023 pitch timer, larger bases, and shift restrictions.
"There were 23 teams in favor of the ABS Challenge system and 7 opposed."
"Although there is going to be the use of technology, the Automated Ball Strike system is not a complete shift to proverbial "robot umps" as the home-plate umpire is still in place and responsible for calling balls and strikes on every pitch."
"Only the batter, pitcher or catcher are allowed to call for a challenge. It must be requested immediately after the call, and help from the coaching staff, other players or anyone else is not permitted."
Read at Dodger Blue
Unable to calculate read time
Collection
[
|
...
]