MLB All-Star Game and Automated Ball Strike Technology

If you notice baseball players tapping their heads more than usual during tonight’s MLB All-Star Game, you might be interested to know that it’s actually part of a new system being introduced.

This isn’t a nod to the infamous 2017 Houston Astros scandal. When players—batters, pitchers, or catchers—disagree with an umpire’s pitch call, they can hit their heads twice. A new robot referee signal will then showcase the last pitch on the stadium’s big screen, confirming or reversing the ump’s original decision.

This development is part of MLB’s Automated Ball Strike (ABS) initiative, which made its debut during spring training this year after being tested since 2019.

Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System will be used in 2025 #AllStarGame!

The rules for the ABS are similar to current protocols in Major League Baseball but are focused solely on pitch calls. However, there’s a catch: only the batter, pitcher, or catcher can initiate a challenge, right after the umpire’s call. No coaches or teammates can intervene.

Recently, MLB officials suggested the All-Star Game would be a great venue to showcase this system, but some players are skeptical about its implementation. Pitchers, in particular, have mixed feelings.

For example, Paul Skens, the Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher, expressed that he’s confident in his ability to read strikes. He mentioned, “I think the pitcher knows a strike when they see one, and looking back, it can lead to confusion.” Others, like Tarix Cuball of the Detroit Tigers, are less inclined. “I probably won’t use it. I trust the catcher to make those calls,” he remarked, insisting his perception is that every pitch is a strike unless the ump says otherwise.

Then there’s Eddie Godel, who raised an interesting point about whether the robot adjusts the strike zone based on a player’s height. It’s a valid concern, though perhaps a little out there.

Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers weighed in too, stating that the nuances of the game are best handled by humans. It seems like, despite technological advancements, some things are best left as they were intended.