CLEVELAND, Ohio — As Major League Baseball prepares to revolutionize the game with the introduction of the automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system in 2026, the Guardians have already determined who will be making those crucial decisions – and it’s not who you might expect.

While stars José Ramírez and Steven Kwan might seem like natural choices to challenge borderline calls given their elite batting eyes, first-year manager Stephen Vogt has a different philosophy when it comes to pitchers and catchers: keep emotional hurlers far away from the challenge button.

“Not surprising. Vogt, being a former catcher, wants his catchers to really control the challenge situation,” explained Paul Hoynes on the Cleveland Baseball Talk Podcast. “He says a pitcher going through his wind up with his

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