Phillies, BayCare Ballpark to host spring training games with ABS challenge system
Players and fans will get an up-close look at the new system during Grapefruit League games in Clearwater.
Fans of Major League Baseball have gotten used to a slew of rule changes that have taken effect across the game over the last couple of seasons. The added changes, such as the use of a pitch clock, bigger bases and expanded Wild Card teams in the postseason, have been met with mixed reactions since they were implemented, but the automated strike zone is sure to top that list possibly as soon as the 2026 season.
While the review system is still in its quality control phase, the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system has been something that MLB officials have been testing out at the minor league level and independent ball ranks since 2019. This year, during spring training play, the challenge system will make its debut on a much bigger stage with 13 complexes in the Cactus League and Grapefruit League equipped with the technology to test the process out in real-time, with Philadelphia Phillies fans having their first glance at the process this spring.
MLB is going to test the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system during Spring Training games.
This was system was used in MiLB last year where calls challenged by players were overturned 51% of the time, per MLB.
