By Robert Ortiz, Staff Writer
Now that the MLB 2026 Regular Season has been underway for a month, the anticipated ABS Challenge System has been introduced and has already begun changing the way players approach the strike zone.
The start of the 2026 Season introduced a new automated system that gives players the opportunity to challenge pitches at the plate. This new system, known as the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) Challenge System, utilizes multiple high-definition cameras located throughout the stadium that track the ball’s path as it enters the strike zone.
Managers have long been able to review umpire calls in base-running situations, but challenging a pitch is a new addition to the game that many have long desired. A pitcher and outfielder for the River Hill Hawks, Ethan McCoy says, “It’s definitely changed the game a lot. You see how comfortable these players are getting with challenging so many calls.”
With such a change in the game, questions regarding the originality and tradition that the sport holds arise. High-pressure moments can now lose their momentum with the simple tap of a helmet. McCoy noted, “This is just another obstacle that can definitely disrupt the game flow.”
Constant challenges have not become an issue due to the set number of challenges each team gets. Each team starts with two challenges at the beginning of the game. Pitchers, batters, and catchers can completely shift the momentum of an at-bat with a correct challenge.
However, incorrect challenges can prove to be devastating for teams if they later miss out on the opportunity to challenge a pitch that would’ve been correct. Per the ABS rules, “Each team gets the chance to be wrong twice before its challenges are exhausted.”
This addition of challenging pitches brings a whole new dynamic between opposing teams. A pitcher for the River Hill Hawks, Jesse Jenkins said, “It’s situational awareness. If you get the challenge wrong, then you have to pay the consequences.” Teams now have to conserve their challenges and save them for moments that matter the most.
Besides catching the ball and returning it to the pitcher, one of the skills a catcher possesses is the ability to trick the umpire into calling a strike. Catchers will frame the ball in a certain way that suggests it was closer to the zone than it actually was. Jenkins added, “The main point of framing a pitch is so it looks like a strike.”
With the new ABS Challenge System, this high-level skill may not be as important as it once was. McCoy explained how, “ABS can definitely overturn those calls, and you might see less movement and less effort put into that area of the gameplay.”
Though it may seem like catchers might lose their value due to this skill being undermined by challenges, it’ll still play its role throughout the season. “Remember, you have two calls. You don’t want to go up to bat and then waste one call on a really unnecessary pitch,” Jenkins said. The limited number of challenges means that catchers will still have plenty of opportunities to frame effectively.
As the 2026 Regular Season continues, the ABS Challenge System proves that it can reshape how the game is played. It adds a new layer of depth to the pitching approach and challenges longstanding traditions like catcher framing and umpires behind the plate. As teams and fans adjust to the new change, the ABS System may just prove to be one of the most successful modern additions to the ball game.