The MLB is set to put a robotic touch on its officiating for 2026.

The league’s 11-person competition committee approved the use of robotic umpires via the Automated Ball/Strike System in a 9-2 vote on Tuesday.

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Human umpires will still call games, but robots will be used if teams want to challenge up to two calls per game, plus any additional appeals in extra innings.

The MLB had tested the ABS throughout its minor-league system for years until deciding to make the leap for next season. With the move, the MLB joins the NFL and others in utilizing technology to regulate a major part of the game.

The NFL implemented Sony’s Hawk-Eye camera system to measure first downs for the 2025 system, with the traditional first down chains used

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