MLB to test automated ball-strike challenge system in spring training

A new ball/strike challenge system could be coming to Major League Baseball.

The MLB announced Tuesday that roughly 60 per cent of 2025 spring training games will feature the automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system as the league tries to determine if the system would work at the major-league level.

Each team will start the game with two challenges, and it will lose a challenge only if the ball/strike call by the home-plate umpire is confirmed after it is challenged. There will be no extra challenges given if a game goes into extra innings.

Sportsnet’s Arden Zwelling reported that the Toronto Blue Jays will play 24 games with the challenge system, including all 16 home games broadcast on Sportsnet.

Only the batter, pitcher or catcher can challenge a ball/strike call — coaches can’t. The hawk-eye review will be shown to those in attendance via the video board and to home viewers via the broadcast.

“This is a pretty big decision for the game of baseball that we want to get everybody to weigh in on,” said MLB executive vice president of baseball operations Morgan Sword, according to the league website.

In minor-league testing in 2024, ball/strike calls challenged by players were overturned 51 per cent of the time.

“In no strike zone that we’ve tried, in no format that we’ve tried, has that rate moved much above or below 50 per cent,” Sword said. “Which is pretty interesting in that these are the subset of pitches that are most ‘controversial’ among players.”

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said that if testing goes well, it could lead to regular-season use in 2026.