Overview
- Through the season’s first month, walks have jumped to about 9.8% of plate appearances, and several players say the challenge-based Automated Ball-Strike system has produced a tighter zone even though the cause is not yet proven.
- The ABS process is simple: a batter, pitcher, or catcher taps a helmet within about two seconds to trigger a Hawk-Eye review, teams start with two challenges and keep one if successful, and a verdict comes back in seconds.
- Public tracking has put some veteran plate umpires under the microscope, with reports listing names such as Andy Fletcher and Ron Kulpa among those seeing more than three-quarters of challenged calls overturned.
- Clubs are still learning when to challenge, with Cleveland offering a snapshot as hitters went 7-for-24 on overturns and catchers went 9-for-17, led by Austin Hedges at 7-for-10.
- On-field behavior is shifting as umpires tell disputing players and managers to use a challenge, while managers caution against full automation and NBA analyst Danny Green calls a player-initiated version for basketball a terrible idea.