MLB โฃtoโฃ Implement ABS Challenge System in 2026
Major League Baseball โฃis set to usher in โคa โnew era of automated ball-strike calls with the approval ofโ an ABS (Automated โขBall-Strike) challenge system for the โ2026 season. The โdecision, expected to be ratified by the Joint Competition Committee today,โ marks a meaningful shift in howโ the strike zone isโข persistent in the game.
Rather than a fully automated system, MLB will adoptโ a challenge protocol already tested in theโฃ minor leagues, during spring training, and at theโ 2024 All-Star Game. โฃThis system allows players – pitchers,catchers,or โhitters – to promptly challenge a ball or strike call made by โthe home โคplate umpire โฃby tapping theirโฃ helmet or cap.
Each team will be granted โขtwo challenges per game.Importantly,โ a team will only loseโ a challenge โif the review confirmsโฃ the original call. Accomplished challengesโค will notโข be deducted from the team’s allotment, meaning a team โฃcould theoretically utilizeโ more than two challenges in a single game. Challenges must be initiated immediately following the pitch call; delaysโฃ forโ dugout review are not permitted. The outcome of each challenge will be displayedโฃ on the stadium scoreboard.
The implementation is designed to be a smooth transition for players, manyโ of โwhom โare already familiar with the system. ABS was first โintroduced in the lower minor โคleagues โคin 2021 andโ became standard at the Triple-A โlevel in 2022. Veteran players gained initialโค experience with the system during the 2025 โspring trainingโ and will have โthe entiretyโ of the 2026 spring schedule to further adapt to โthe changes. โ
While acknowledging potentialโ initial difficulties, โMLB anticipates the ABS challenge โsystem willโข integrate โฃinto the game as seamlessly โคas recent changes like the pitch clock and instant replay.
