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The league's years of experimentation have included pitch clocks, shift restrictions, ghost runners, universal DHs, and mound visit restrictions. Major League Baseball has made many changes to rules intended to accelerate the tempo of play. This time, the experimentation involves the Automatic Balls and Strikes (ABS) challenge system trialed during the spring, going by the year 2025.
As the spring game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Chicago Cubs commenced, the fans were treated to their first glimpse of how the new system plays. So here is everything you ought to know about the MLB ABS challenge system and its future role in the game.
How Does the ABS Challenge System Work?
Each team will have two challenges per game to call into question ball or strike calls. If the challenge is upheld by the replay, the team retains its challenge; that is, the team can still use both of its challenges later in the game. If the challenge is denied, the team forfeits one of its challenges.
Only the pitcher, catcher, or batter may initiate a challenge immediately after a pitch by tapping their head. No other players, coaches, or managers may call for a challenge. In addition, teams will not gain an extra challenge if the game goes into extra innings.
Will Challenges Slow Down the Game?
Not significantly. Grand limited tests in Triple-A last year showed each challenge took about 17 seconds, with umpires’ decisions being overturned 51% of the time. Assuming both teams used all four combined challenges, the game time would be extended by a mere two minutes.
Where Will ABS Be Used?
The ABS challenge system will not be employed at all spring training ballparks. In the lines of Cactus League, the ABS challenge will be only utilized at these five dual-team stadiums:
- Camelback Ranch (Dodgers and White Sox)
- Surprise Stadium (Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals)
- Peoria Sports Complex (Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres)
- Goodyear Ballpark (Cincinnati Reds and Cleveland Guardians)
- Salt River Fields (Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies)
In the Grapefruit League, the ABS challenge system will be present at the following solo-team parks:
- George M. Steinbrenner Field (Yankees)
- Clover Park (Mets)
- BayCare Ballpark (Phillies)
- TD Ballpark (Blue Jays)
- LECOM Park (Pirates)
- Publix Field (Tigers)
- Hammond Stadium (Twins)
- Roger Dean Chevrolet Stadium (Marlins and Cardinals)
Will ABS Be Adopted in the Regular Season?
There won't be any in 2025, but if ABS finds success during the spring training and Triple-A testing, it may end up in the majors as soon as 2026. The challenge system already has its plans set for trial runs in all Triple-A games this season, and some insiders within MLB believe it could transform the game at the highest level.
How Will ABS Affect the Game?
With only two challenges per team, there is expected to be a negligible effect on the game. Players will probably hoard their challenges until critical situations, like close calls in critical at-bats. While it will weed out a bit of human error, the challenges won't adjust the game's tempo much.
In contrast, the ability to "steal" strikes is somewhat diminished under the ABS system, so pitch framing may lose some of its luster for catchers. On the flip side, pitchers are expected to redirect their focus toward convincing swings and misses in the strike zone.
Who Will Be the Biggest Losers?
Under the ABS, catchers with sophisticated pitch-framing techniques would have their value slightly hurt. In 2024, Bailey led the league with 16 framing runs, three more than Seattle's Cal Raleigh. Bailey was extremely adept at converting borderline pitches to strikes, ranking in the top 10 in multiple zones around the plate.
Likewise, Bailey led the league in framing runs in 2023 with 17 and showed the capacity to impact the calls made by umpires. While the ABS system will not eliminate the need for good catchers, it could take some of the emphasis off of framing.
The Future
MLB’s ABS challenge system is yet another step toward modernization of the game. While still being tested, the system's potential to minimize human error and enhance accuracy could well define its place in the sport's not-so-distant future. For now, fans can relish the newfound theatre of challenges during spring training, alongside the spectacle of seeing how players and teams adapt to this fresh wrinkle.
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