Major League Baseball is preparing for a major shift in how strike calls are handled. Starting in 2026, the league will introduce the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System.
This new system will not replace human umpires. Instead, it will allow players to challenge calls they believe are wrong. Umpires will continue to call balls and strikes, but the ABS will add an extra layer of fairness.
How the Challenge System Works
Each team will receive two challenges per game. If a challenge proves correct, the team keeps it. This ensures managers use them carefully.
In extra innings, the rules adjust. A team with no challenges left gets one at the start of the 10th inning. If it runs out again, it will receive another challenge in the next extra inning. This continues until the game ends.
Only the pitcher, catcher, or batter can make a challenge. Players do this by tapping their helmet or cap. The review process takes about 15 seconds, so delays stay minimal.
The Tech Behind It
The ABS uses Hawk-Eye cameras to track pitches with high precision. Data is sent instantly through T-Mobile’s 5G network. Results appear on stadium videoboards and live broadcast feeds, giving fans immediate clarity.
The strike zone itself is defined as a two-dimensional rectangle across home plate. Its top and bottom adjust to a player’s height using fixed percentages.
A Step Toward Fairness
This change aims to improve accuracy while keeping the human element intact. Therefore, fans will still see umpires making calls, but now with technology ready to step in when needed.
The ABS system blends tradition with innovation. As a result, baseball is heading into a future where fairness and speed work hand in hand.
