Major League Baseball will use so-called robot umpires at home plate beginning in 2026, the league announced today. The system has been tested in minor league games (as explained in this video, included below), spring training, and events like the 2025 All-Star Game.

The Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) is seen as a fairer, more accurate way to call when a pitch is a ball or a strike, which currently is done by the home plate human umpire. A pitch is a ball when it’s thrown outside the strike zone and a strike when it’s within the zone, but home plate umps are frequently the target of ire when they make bad calls. The strike zone varies for individual players based on their stance and size.

ABS won’t totally replace human umpires — it’s only called in when a player challenges an umpire

See Full Page