Every baseball fan on Sept. 23, 2025 was wondering how the Automated Ball-Strike challenge system would affect the 2026 Major League Baseball season. 

As spring training comes to an end and the season is ready to start, here is what the ABS system is and how it will affect the game. The system was tested in last year’s spring training, so this is the first year of regular season use.

The ABS system will allow players to challenge a ball or strike call the umpire makes at the plate. The only players allowed to challenge the call are the batter, pitcher and catcher, according to MLB.com.

Players can challenge by tapping their cap or helmet after the call; shortly after, an animated pitch result graphic will appear on the video screen either overturning or keeping the same call made by the home plate umpire.

Every team starts the game with two challenges, and they receive a third when there are extra innings. The team will retain a challenge if the call is successfully overturned. 

While the MLB added the pitch clock to shorten the time of the game, the ABS system challenges “took an average of 13.8 seconds,” according to SNY.tv. This will continue to keep the MLB games roughly within two hours and 30 minutes. 

One area that many sports fans are concerned about is the strike zone. The MLB reported that “officials … measured each player twice with a device similar to the one you’d see in a doctor’s office.” 

This is to make the ABS strike zone more accurate for players who are challenging the system, especially tall players with calls at the plate, an issue the MLB has struggled with for years.

During a Chicago Cubs and Texas Rangers game, the system did not activate, showing no result on the screen. 

After a brief delay, the umpire ruled to keep the original call. There have been no issues otherwise. 

With the 2026 season coming up, time will tell if the ABS system can counterbalance the tasks of increasing the accuracy of officiating while maintaining shorter game times.