Major League Baseball will use the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS) during the entire 2026 season. Here are the upcoming ABS CHALLENGE RULES:
– Each team will get two challenges and can keep them if they’re successful
– Challenges can only be initiated by a pitcher, catcher, or batter, and the request must come right after the pitch
– To signal a challenge, the pitcher, catcher, or batter will tap his hat or helmet to let the umpire know
– No help from the dugout or other players on the field is allowed
– In each extra inning, a team will be awarded a challenge if it has none remaining entering the inning
The ABS Challenge System, powered by T-Mobile 5G network, uses cameras set up around the perimeter of the field to track the location of each pitch and a graphic on the scoreboard shows the result of the challenge.
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