MLB rolls out Automated Strike System, raising questions for umpires and fans

Major League Baseball is deploying the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) this season, using 12 Hawk-Eye cameras to judge pitches and allow teams two challenges per game (one additional in extra innings). A strike under ABS is defined by a height-based zone different from the traditional rule-book box, with calls potentially overturned on challenge success. Spring training data shows varying challenge success by teams and players, highlighting a push for greater accuracy but sparking concerns about humiliation for human umpires and the broader impact on the game. The ABS builds on a two-decade history of electronic umpire evaluation, aiming to correct egregiously missed pitches while leaving room for human judgment on near-calls.