‘Robot umpires’ will debut in Major League Baseball in the 2026 season as the game adopts the automated strike zone challenge system tested in the 2025 pre-season, MLB announced on Tuesday.

MLB’s joint competition committee voted to approve the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System, which allows players to challenge human umpires’ ball and strike calls via an electronic system run by the Hawk-Eye technology already widely used in sports such as tennis.

The system had already been widely tested in the minor leagues before being tried in 2025 pre-season games.

In 2026, MLB teams will be able to challenge two calls per game and get additional appeals in extra innings.

Only a pitcher, catcher or batter can challenge, without input from managers or players in the dugout.

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