MLB Confirms League-Wide Use of Ball-Strike Challenge System Starting 2026

Newsweek ^ | September 23, 2025 | Julio Cesar Valdera Morales

[DoodleBob]

MLB announced Tuesday that the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System will be fully implemented in both leagues throughout the upcoming season. The general procedure for challenging balls and strikes called by the umpires was also announced.

According to a report by MLB.com, its implementation was approved by the Joint Competition Committee, which met on Tuesday to decide on the matter.

…

"Throughout this process, we have worked on deploying the system in a way that’s acceptable to players. The strong preference from players for the challenge format over using the technology to call every pitch was a key factor in determining the system we are announcing (Tuesday)."

…

The official MLB account on X posted a summary of the general rules governing how the ABS challenge system will operate during the upcoming season:

-Each team will get two challenges and can keep them if they're successful

-Challenges can only be initiated by a pitcher, catcher, or batter, and the request must come right after the pitch

-To signal a challenge, the pitcher, catcher, or batter will tap his hat or helmet to let the umpire know

-No help from the dugout or other players on the field is allowed

-In each extra inning, a team will be awarded a challenge if it has none remaining entering the inning

The ABS system works with Hawk-Eye technology, which has been so successful in other sports such as tennis. It is a measure that follows others implemented by MLB, including expanded video replay, PitchCom, and the pitch clock, among others.

[Adder]

Uh..Angel Hernandez, anyone recall?

They used this in spring training ball and it did not seem to impact the overall stream of play. It also confirmed that the umpires got it right a lot of the time.
I lean to it being a good thing because the called pitch is the key to the game. No subsequent action happens without it. The accuracy of the call becomes pretty important.

[nikos1121]

This is the first step in getting rid of umpires all together.

[DoodleBob]

I love Zappa and free jazz.

I think the Stones and Bon Jovi and Springsteen are awful.

Prog rock is killer.

Same deal here. Except George Carlin weighed in on baseball convincingly.

[moviefan8]

If limiting the time is the goal just have a time limit like bananaball. Have the same rules at that league. Those games are fast.

[telescope115]

I agree. Umpires can and DO bollux up calls from time to time. Let it be upon them. Still, it will be interesting to see how this works.

[jjotto]

There is almost no time impact to ABS. The Hawk-Eye system has been in MLB since 2019 or so, tracking every pitch and other stuff.

ABS is not a ‘replay’ that requires a judgment call after review; the answer to a challenge is just a readout of the call already made by ABS from Hawk-Eye.

[telescope115]

Well, what’s the next step after this development? Eventually getting rid of umpires altogether?

[1Old Pro]

There is almost no time impact to ABS. The Hawk-Eye system has been in MLB since 2019 or so, tracking every pitch and other stuff. ABS is not a ‘replay’ that requires a judgment call after review; the answer to a challenge is just a readout of the call already made by ABS from Hawk-Eye.

That being the case, I love the idea.

[Frank Drebin]

[Churchillspirit]

You make far too much sense!

[cgbg]

One thing this will highlight is the significant difference between the best umpires and the worst ones.

This will have real numbers after one season—probably a good thing.

[Political Junkie Too]

I don't think there is an AI that can tell tags and balks.

-PJ

[Scrambler Bob]

And for 2027, Pitchers will be allowed to use pitching machines, kind of like tri-pod mounted bazookas.

[citizen]

A lot of pitchers of past years who lived 6” off the plate would not have had much of a career with accurate ball/strike calls. I could name a couple of Atlanta Braves pitchers.