Major League Baseball announced it has voted to confirm the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System for the 2026 season on Tuesday (September 23).

The ABS Challenge System will allow teams the change to request a quick review on crucial ball-strike calls during a game, which many view as the middle ground between human and robot umpires. The system was previously used in the Minor Leagues, as well as during MLB Spring Training and the 2025 All-Star Game for experimentation prior to being confirmed on Tuesday.

"The previous rule changes that have been adopted by the Joint Competition Committee have had staying power and created momentum for the game,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement shared on the league's official website . "We used the same process with ABS that star

See Full Page