MLB’s New Challenge System Shows Mixed Results in Early Games

Major League Baseball's new Automated Ball-Strike System allowed teams to successfully overturn umpire calls 61.3% of the time during the first dozen games of the season. The technology uses 12 cameras to determine pitch accuracy within one-sixth of an inch, leading to dramatic momentum shifts in several games.

Major League Baseball’s introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike System produced a 61.3% success rate for teams challenging umpire calls during the opening 12 games of the regular season, with clubs winning 19 of their 31 appeals.

Cincinnati manager Terry Francona experienced both sides of the new technology during his team’s 3-0 defeat to Boston on Thursday. The Reds saw two crucial full-count situations reversed – Eugenio Suárez’s fourth-inning walk became a strikeout, while Connor Phillips’ ninth-inning strikeout of Roman Anthony was changed to a walk.

“I think our pitchers are going to have to get used to thinking the inning might be over, and it’s not,” Francona said. “It’s almost like when a guy comes out and you say, ‘Hey, way to go. Can you get one more?’ So you’re going to have to stay dialed in.”

The system employs Hawk-Eye technology with 12 cameras that track whether pitches pass through the strike zone with precision of approximately one-sixth of an inch.

Boston skipper Alex Cora expressed satisfaction with his team’s 2-for-3 challenge performance, though he noted one missed opportunity. Trevor Story was called out looking on what appeared to be a high fastball from Andrew Abbott with two outs and runners in scoring position during the fifth inning.

“You just have to make sure. There was one early where Trevor is in that situation again, he’d probably challenge,” Cora said. “We thought the pitch was up. We don’t mind him challenging there because it changes the whole thing, right? We were talking about it. It’s a different ballgame now.”

The Red Sox did capitalize on a successful challenge later that inning when catcher Carlos Narváez questioned a ball call on Garrett Crochet’s cutter to Suárez. The replay showed the pitch caught the bottom edge of the strike zone, ending the inning instead of loading the bases.

“He made a really good pitch right there. I thought it stayed down and it was a ball, but with the new ABS, good for him,” Suárez said.

Anthony’s successful challenge proved pivotal for Boston’s victory. What initially appeared to be the final out of the ninth became a walk, placing runners on first and second. Story and Jarren Duran then delivered consecutive RBI singles to secure the 3-0 advantage.

“I knew it was a ball. I was pretty confident,” Anthony said. “It turned the game around in a sense. It was good to turn that around, get on base and score there. I trust my instincts and discipline at the plate. I’ve had many in the past, up, down, in and out. That was a good example. Probably not even close. Just kind of knew it there.”

Pittsburgh’s Oneil Cruz became the first player to have a walk overturned to a strikeout when New York catcher Francisco Alvarez challenged during the third inning. The replay confirmed the pitch hit the inside corner. The Mets finished 2-for-3 on their challenges.

Minnesota and Chicago White Sox both achieved 3-for-4 success rates on their appeals, while Tampa Bay went perfect at 2-for-2.

Philadelphia reliever Zach Pop experienced the system’s first failed challenge in the eighth inning against Texas. Pop questioned James Hoye’s ball four call to Brandon Nimmo, but replay confirmed the umpire’s decision and Nimmo took his base.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson supported the decision to challenge despite the outcome.

“I was good with it. It was a 10th of an inch off. That pitch decided an at-bat late in the game, we’ve got the lead. On the defensive side you want to use that challenge,” he said.