MLB introduces fully automated ball strike challenge system in Triple-A

June 21, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Home plate umpire Charlie Ramos (111) calls a third strike during a game between the Cleveland Guardians and the Toronto Blue Jays at Progressive Field. Mandatory Photo Credit: David Richard-USA TODAY Sports

The 2023 MLB season introduced many new rule changes to make the game more exciting and fluid. The pitch clock, limits on defensive substitutions, and larger bases were pretty drastic changes for a game that is over 100 years old.

The changes have been mostly positive and there may be more changes later. The most important is the introduction of some sort of electronic strike zone.

After some experimentation with both a fully automated ball striking system (ABS) and the ABS Challenge System during the first half of the Triple-A season, MLB has decided to implement the Challenge System full-time in the top minor leagues, according to ESPN’s Jesse Rogers:

Major League Baseball sent a memo to farm directors on Tuesday advising that the Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System will be used in all Triple-A games beginning June 25, as opposed to the full ABS that has been used halfway through the week.

MLB has often used the minor leagues to test many of its potential rule changes to ensure they have a positive impact on the game before they are officially adopted into the major league rulebook, such as the pitch clock and other rule changes. If the ABS challenge system produces good results, it could be implemented in MLB for another season at the earliest:

The move is another sign that the league is slowly moving toward implementing the challenge system at the major league level, although Commissioner Rob Manfred has stated that it will be at least one more season before that step takes place.

This is an important first step toward potential implementation in the future, but MLB will certainly take its time with such a comprehensive change to how the sport works at the major league level.

The difference between the full ABS system and the ABS Challenge system is whether or not the human referee has a say in balls and strikes.

In a challenge system, the batsman or catcher can challenge any decision made by the human umpire and will be told the correct decision according to ABS. In the full ABS system, all decisions are made for the human umpire.

According to players, coaches and fans, MLB has chosen the right system for full implementation:

The memo, obtained by ESPN, states that the league’s research has shown that both uniformed personnel (players and coaches) and fans prefer a challenge system to a pure ABS.

It’s easy to see why baseball organizations and fans prefer this option. The ABS Challenge system allows the human element to remain in the game, but now gives batters or pitchers the opportunity to undo missed calls.

MLB to enforce handicap calls during 2024 season

As part of the changes this year, MLB has placed an emphasis on enforcing the obstruction rule around the bases to prevent infielders from blocking runners’ path to base.

MLB almost started enforcing the obstruction rule last season, but wanted to see if the larger bases would prevent infielders from blocking the basepath.

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