Robot umpires have been given the green light for the upcoming major league season. Major League Baseball’s 11-person competition committee has approved the use of the Automated Ball/Strike System in the major leagues for 2026. While human plate umpires will continue to make ball and strike calls, teams will have the opportunity to challenge two calls per game and receive additional appeals in extra innings. Challenges must be initiated by a pitcher, catcher, or batter, indicated by tapping their helmet or cap. A team will retain its challenge if successful, and reviews will be displayed as digital graphics on outfield videoboards.
The introduction of robot umpires is expected to reduce ejections. Last year, 61.5% of ejections involving players, managers, and coaches were related to balls and strikes, a trend that continued this season with 60.3% of ejections through Sunday. Notably, these figures encompass ejections for various reasons such as derogatory remarks, disputing calls by throwing equipment, and inappropriate behavior.
According to UmpScorecards, big league umpires currently make accurate calls on approximately 94% of pitches. Commissioner Rob Manfred stated, “Throughout this process, we have focused on implementing the system in a manner that aligns with players’ preferences.” He emphasized that players favored the challenge format over using technology to call every pitch, influencing the system being announced.
The Automated Ball/Strike System, utilizing Hawk-Eye cameras, has undergone testing in the minor leagues since 2019. Following successful trials in various leagues, including the independent Atlantic League and the Arizona Fall League, the system was gradually implemented in different levels of professional baseball. At the start of the 2023 season in triple-A, half of the games utilized robot umpires for ball/strike calls, while the other half had human umpires subject to team appeals to the Automated Ball/Strike System.
In June 2024, MLB transitioned triple-A to an all-challenge system, which was further tested during spring training games this year. Teams won 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges during the exhibition games. The use of the challenge system has shown promising results, with an average of 4.2 challenges per game in triple-A this season.
The strike zone interpretation with ABS has evolved, with current rules defining strikes based on the ball crossing the midpoint of the plate. The system accounts for the top and bottom of the strike zone in relation to the batter’s height. This implementation marks MLB’s first major rule change since the comprehensive adjustments in 2024, which included various modifications to gameplay.
Despite the introduction of robot umpires and the challenge system, the art of pitch framing by catchers remains relevant. Pitch framing involves catchers subtly manipulating borderline pitches to appear as strikes. While some view pitch framing as a skill, others criticize it as deceptive. Former manager Bobby Valentine expressed his disbelief in rewarding such tactics, while Texas manager Bruce Bochy emphasized the traditional approach of umpires like Bruce Froemming and Billy Williams.
Key figures on the competition committee include representatives from MLB teams and players. Notable player representatives include Corbin Burnes, Zac Gallen, Casey Mize, Cal Raleigh, and Austin Slater, with alternates such as Ian Happ. The decisions made by the union representatives are informed by feedback from players across all 30 teams. Bill Miller serves as the umpire representative on the committee.