Changes are coming to Major League Baseball in 2026.

The league’s 11-man competition committee approved the use of the automated ball/strike system (ABS) on Tuesday. The robot umps will be used for the entire 2026 season.

A human umpire will still make calls for balls and strikes behind the plate. If a team wants to appeal, a computer will then make the call whether it was a ball or strike.

Stadiums are outfitted with cameras that track each pitch and judge whether it crossed home plate within the strike zone. In early testing, umpires wore ear buds and would hear “ball” or “strike,” then relay that to players and fans with traditional hand signals.

The technology has been used in the minor leagues since 2019, with the 2024 season being the second consecutive year every MiLB

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