Spring training is in full swing, giving fans their first glimpse of the upcoming season and a chance to see their favorite teams before opening day. One major addition this spring is the collision of technology and tradition with the introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS). This system uses advanced tracking technology to determine balls and strikes while allowing players to challenge calls they believe were incorrect. I will to tell you everything you should know for the quickly approaching 2025 MLB season.
First, let’s recap: The Dodgers won the 2024 World Series, while the Yankees fell just short as runners-up. The off-season was anything but quiet, with the buzz surrounding the winter meeting, where influential trades were made and high-stakes deals reshaped the league.
As mentioned before, one notable change to the game this season that every new or returning fan should know is the introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), also known as robo-umps. This technology serves to help umpires maintain consistency and ensure fairness throughout baseball. After successful integration in the minor leagues in 2019, these robo-umps were used for the first time at a professional level during the Cubs vs. Dodgers game this past week. While still in the trial stages, ABS has already sparked various reactions from fans and players alike.
Currently, in Major League Baseball, you can challenge calls on the field by requesting a replay review, but the umpire has the final say when it comes to balls and strikes at the plate. The new ABS challenge system introduces a change: Teams will receive two challenges at the beginning of each game.
If a challenge overturns the call, the team retains both challenges; if the umpire’s call stands, the challenge is lost. Only the pitcher, hitter and catcher can initiate a challenge, which must be immediate. The MLB is encouraging teams to use their challenges, as robo-umps are still in the experimental phase. Full implementation can come as early as 2026, and the league aims to collect as much data as possible to evaluate the system’s impact on the sport.
The inconsistency of the strike zone has been a long-time issue in baseball, especially for taller players, who often face more questionable calls. Those who support this new development hope it will bring greater fairness to the game and allow for the elimination of human error. This technology could cut down the number of confrontations between managers and umpires, reducing the number of ejections and increasing the flow of the game.
Though there are undeniable benefits to this technology’s incorporation into the sport, some fans, players and managers are against this new remodel. Baseball is a sport deeply rooted in tradition, and with the introduction of the pitch clock two years ago and now the potential ABS system, many are concerned that the game is straying too far from its origins. Most concerns resonate with preserving of the human element, as the judgment role of an umpire is integral to the game. This can have a significant impact on how pitchers approach the game.
A large part of pitching strategy involves working the edge of the strike zone and utilizing the umpire’s judgment to determine borderline pitches. Traditionally, catchers are essential in influencing these calls by framing pitches, which is subtly adjusting their gloves to make pitches appear more like a strike.
With ABS, this new system enforces a strictly defined strike zone, removing the long-standing tradition of respecting an umpire’s judgment, and as a result, pitchers and catchers may have to change their approach. Pitchers’ stats will be affected, and the technique they have been working to master to become the best will diminish. This can also negatively impact the value of an elite defensive catcher who has excelled at pitch framing and their ability to manipulate the zone.
As the season approaches, the debate over robo-umps will continue to unfold. Though the ABS system strives to bring fairness to the game, it simultaneously challenges baseball’s long-standing traditions that many fans cherish. Whether or not this change enhances the game or goes too far is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: change is coming. For now, watch a game and decide for yourself. Now is as good a time as ever. As a college student in Boston, you should take advantage of the Student 9s and go with some friends to Fenway and decide for yourself the effect these robo-umps will have on baseball.