Rob Manfred suggests MLB will test an automated strike zone sooner rather than later

Instant replay, wider bases, pitch clock, fewer pick-off attempts, and a new extra innings format are just some of the changes we’ve seen in Major League Baseball recently. As a result, games have been drastically shortened and baseball has become more attractive to many people.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred said Tuesday that MLB may be about to test something that has already sparked debate in the minor leagues: the automated strike zone. It will not be tested until next spring training and will not be implemented in the regular season until 2026.

The minor leagues have actually tested two different types of automated strike zone systems. ABS (Automated Ball-Strike System) is a system that is used on every pitch and then tells the home plate umpire what the call should be.

Perhaps the more popular and likely system allows teams a certain number of appeals to ball/strike decisions that they can use if they disagree with the umpire’s decision. This would likely be the system that Major League Baseball would adopt. However, there is still a chance that the automated strike zone will remain only in the minors.

“We have technical issues with the definition of the strike zone that still need to be resolved,” Manfred said. He further explained that the league has responded to the players’ feedback and is taking it into account.

Tony Clark, the chairman of the MLB Players Association, said there are players who are not interested in implementing the automated strike zone. Clark mentioned concerns about the consistency of the strike zone and how it would respond if the stadium’s Wi-Fi went down. These are the types of issues MLB wants to address before implementing the system.

Fans should enjoy watching managers and players argue with umpires about balls and strikes while they still can. It’s becoming increasingly likely that human error will no longer occur in big-league umpiring.