TORONTO — Two outs. Bases loaded. The game tied 1-1 in the bottom of the second. Lucas Giolito delivered his 2-2 pitch to George Springer up and away. Springer let it go.

Strike three.

Springer was apoplectic, slamming his bat to the ground before taking out his frustration on his helmet back in the dugout. The call allowed the Red Sox to escape the inning with minimal damage, and it proved to be the defining moment of Boston’s eventual 4-1 win.

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Next year, that at bat likely would have played out completely differently.

Earlier Tuesday Major League Baseball announced that it will officially introduce the Automated Ball Strike Challenge System to the big leagues next season. Various versions of the ABS system have been tested in the minor leagues for years, and now for

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