Baseball fans are constantly at battle, wondering if the outcome of a game can be in the hands of an umpire, or is that the excuse we use to ignore our team’s terrible batting averages?
While us fans may never know, we may be able to finally put our minds at ease with the MLB’s new addition of the Automated Ball-Strike system (ABS). As the temperatures increase and the start of baseball season draws near, we get to experience our first season using this system, and we can form our opinion of it, which I believe will be in favor of ABS.
There has always been a debate about whether new technology such as ABS will affect the overall game. Things like the pitch clock, added in 2023, began limiting pitchers 15-18 seconds to deliver, depending on the status of the bases. This was only the beginning of new rules being a conflict within the dynamic of baseball, as well as raising the question of whether it gets rid of the mind games that truly make the game special. However, that doesn’t mean all modern day rules are bad.
At the start of the 2026 season, the MLB began allowing teams to use ABS, or Automated Ball-Strike. As a sports fan, the frustration of an incorrect call is all too familiar, and this new system may help take some of that agita away. ABS is used when a pitcher, batter, or catcher is unhappy with a call and wants to challenge it. If a batter is convinced that a called strike is actually a ball (or the opposite coming from the pitcher or catcher), he has the opportunity to challenge it, triggering a “robot umpire” review. This allows both the team and fans to see a replay of the pitch, and if the call is overturned, the team can continue using challenges until one is unsuccessful.
So that leaves me to wonder: ABS or absolutely not? My conclusion is that this new system will be a great addition to the MLB. The limitations on who can use it and how often are already strong regulations, as they help maintain the pacing of the sport while keeping its realism.
The ABS is not in place to replace the umpire, but to assist the ones who may or may not be due to see their optometrist. Without these restrictions, repetitive challenges could become frustrating. However, because there are limits, and because using ABS isn’t required, it has the potential to be an incredibly valuable tool in deciding games that may come down to a single pitch.
As for its effect on the dynamic of baseball, I believe it could actually build trust within teams. The decision to challenge rests solely with the players at home plate or on the mound, which encourages them to trust both themselves and each other. It also has no effect on the charm of baseball, because it will not affect the sport itself. Pitchers still pitch the same, and batters still hit the same, which could or could not be in your favor depending on the team you follow.
While incorrect calls could be beneficial to someone whose team has Taijuan Walker in their rotation and needs as many ball-called strikes as we can get, ABS will definitely do a service to observers of the MLB. It keeps the loved traditions, as well as incorporates new technology, starting the new era of modern baseball. The realism within the sport is what allows fans to truly connect with the team, and make their wins feel even more personal, and ABS is no obstacle for that.
