An umpire looks at the Jumbotron during an automated ball-strike challenge, a.k.a. ABS, during a spring training game on March 2, 2025.

PHOENIX — Major League Baseball, which has ventured out of its comfort zone the past few years – implementing pitch clocks, ghost runners, enlarged bases, and a universal designated hitter – now is taking the next huge step in the world of modern technology.

MLB is adopting an automated strike zone challenge system that will go into effect for the 2026 season.

MLB’s Joint Competition Committee voted 9-2 to approve the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system on Tuesday, Sept. 23, two persons on the competition committee told USA TODAY Sports, after commissioner Rob Manfred passionately lobbied for the change.

The committee consists of six owners, four players and an umpire:

The six owners voted in favor of it.

Three of the four players voted in favor.

And the umpires voted against it.

The surprise was that the players, who voiced their concern over ABS during the season, changed their mind. When each team took a vote, 23 of the 30 teams voted in favor of it, so they cast three of their four votes in favor to reflect their sentiments.

“Whether you were in favor of it or opposed," said Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen, who was on the committee, “it was coming anyway just because of the structure of the vote between the players and the owners. …

“Honestly, I was pretty indifferent. I knew it was looming, just the way the vote is structured. So I tried not to get too one way or the other. I think if you were ask me, I’d probably would have leaned more against it, but I just tried to be open about it, and just kind of fell on indifference."

Yet, now that it’s approved, Gallen says: “I do like the ability to be able to challenge some pitches in big spots, so we’ll see how it goes. But I think all in all, it should shake out to be pretty good."

So, just like that, gone will be the days of managers and players screaming at umpires over balls and strikes. No more legendary face-to-face confrontations. No more kicking dirt. No more dumping sunflower seeds and bubble gum on the field after being ejected.

There’ll be no reason for a player or manager to complain about a call now. If they’re upset by the video review, what are they going to do, pull out a power cord?

Oh, for the days of Earl Weaver and Lou Piniella.

“I think it’s fantastic," Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I think the challenge system is great. We had it in spring training, and I felt that there was a strategy to it. I felt that the fans enjoyed it. And I do think because of that, it raised the level of performance from the umpires, too. And that’s a good thing."

The challenge system, which has been used at various levels in the minors since 2021 and all Triple-A games in 2024, was implemented for the first time in spring training games this year and at the All-Star Game. It will allow a hitter, pitcher or catcher to challenge the strike-ball call twice in a game by simply tapping their helmet. The challenge must be made immediately without any assistance from the dugout or any other player on the field. If the challenge is successful, just like instant replay, the team will retain their challenge.

For for the first time in baseball history, umpires will no longer have final say on every pitch, relying on Hawk-Eye technology, which is also used in tennis. The cameras are used to track the pitch trajectory and location in relation to the strike zone based on the height of each batter. The replay is expected to average about 17 seconds.

This also might be the first step to having robot umpires calling every pitch in the future.

While the ABS should certainly diminish the art of pitch framing, it likely will add more jobs in teams’ analytic departments. Teams will be designing spread sheets to determine the most advantageous time in a game to make a challenge, with managers likely making determinations which batters in their lineup will be permitted to seek a challenge.

“I don’t think you’re going to see as many challenges as people think it’s going to be," Gallen said. “When are the highest leverage situations to use it? When does it make sense? Like does it make sense to use it in the first inning? Nobody on with two outs. An 0-and-2 count, does that make sense. Or are you waiting to get to the sixth inning? I don’t know."

During Triple-A games during the 2024 season, there were 3.9 challenges per game, including 2.2 by the hitters. The success rate was 51% at AAA, and 52% in spring training. The challenge was used just 1.6% of the time on the first pitch of the at-bat, but increased to 3.9% for two-strike pitches, 5.2% for three-ball pitches and 8.2% on full counts.

It also came into effect much more frequently later in the game, with 1.9% of the challenges in the first three innings, 2.5% from the fourth to sixth innings, 2.8% in the seventh and eighth innings, and 3.6% in the ninth inning.

Gentlemen, start your algorithms.

“I think it’s going to have a big impact on the game," said Diamondbacks rookie reliever Andrew Saalfrank, who had vast experience with the challenge system in the minors. “I think it’s going to make pitching a little more difficult in terms of ERAs and stuff. I think a 3-ERA is having a really good year, and I think it’s going to change to 4-ERA is going to be good now. So, I think it’s just going to be change a little bit statistically. …

“I just think the hitters are so good that you go from pitchers getting the ball that’s maybe a half-ball off, and if you eliminate those 50-50 pitches for the pitchers, I think it gives that many more hitters advantage counts throughout the game."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'Robot umpires' coming to MLB with ABS challenge system approved for 2026

Reporting by Bob Nightengale, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect