Major League Baseball is still testing out using technology to help call balls and strikes behind the plate and ESPN’s Jesse Rogers latest report shows the league may be moving in a different direction for the next phase of experimentation.
On Tuesday, Rogers said the league will begin using a challenge system for balls and strikes in all Triple A games beginning June 25 per a memo sent farm team directors.
Rather than every pitch being subject to the ABS system, only those challenged will have their call confirmed or overturned.
The move is another indication that the league is inching toward implementing the challenge system at the major league level, though commissioner Rob Manfred has said that move is still at least another season away from happening.
The memo, obtained by ESPN, says the league’s research indicates that both in-uniform personnel (players and coaches) as well as fans prefer a challenge system over full ABS.
In the challenge system, challenges to calls on balls and strikes are made by the hitter or catcher in real time with the umpire receiving an answer to the challenge via an earpiece. In full ABS, every call is made for the umpire.
Fortunately, we already know what this looks like in practice. Triple A teams have been using the challenge system already for half the week while the other half featured games where ball and strike calls were fully automated.
Here’s a quick reminder of how the system works, per the Durham Bulls:
- Each team will have three challenges per game (irrespective of whether on offense or defense)
- If the team wins their challenge, meaning the call on the field is overturned, the team keeps their challenge. If the team loses the challenge, meaning the call on the field stands, the team loses one of their three challenge attempts. If all three challenges are lost, the team can no longer call for a challenge.
- Once a challenge is initiated, the umpire will signal to the ABS Tech located in the Press Box, who will then radio to the control booth to initiate an animation for that pitch that will be shown on the video board. The umpire will also receive notification of the decision and will then signal the call.
- If the system does not track the pitch, the pitch cannot be challenged and the call on the field stands.
According to Rogers, the earliest MLB could implement a similar system in the majors is 2026.
