9-Time All-Star Chris Sale Will Never Challenge Ball-Strike Calls

This article dives into Chris Sale’s view on MLB’s new ABS Challenge System, why he flat-out refuses to use it for ball-and-strike calls, and what that might mean for pitchers, catchers, and teams as they adjust to the rule change this season.

It also looks at how catchers’ framing skills play into pitch selection and decision-making. There’s plenty of curiosity around how players will decide whether to challenge or just let things ride.

Sale Declares He Won’t Use the ABS Challenge System

Chris Sale, a nine-time All-Star and the 2024 NL Cy Young winner, says he’ll never use MLB’s new ABS Challenge System to contest balls and strikes. He feels calling the zone is the umpires’ gig, not his, and he doesn’t want to get mixed up in that.

Sale admits he’s “greedy” and tends to think his pitches are strikes, especially the ones that just graze the edge. He’d rather keep his mind on pitching than second-guessing the ump.

He also gave Atlanta’s catchers a nod for their framing chops, especially Sean Murphy and Drake Baldwin. Murphy notched +2 framing runs last season (71st percentile), while Baldwin’s framing was a bit more average (45th percentile).

Sale pointed out that a poorly timed challenge could mess up a chance to reassess the strike zone later in the game. That’s a headache he’d rather avoid.

• The rule puts the decision with the officials, not the pitcher.
• He’s biased toward thinking his edge pitches are strikes.
• Losing a late-game challenge could hurt the team when it matters most.
• He wants to focus on making pitches, not reffing the game.

Broader Implications for the ABS System and Pitching Strategy

Sale’s take lands at a big moment for MLB as teams figure out how bold they want to be with the ABS Challenge System. Some pitchers might use challenges to squeeze out close calls, but others, like Sale, will probably just let it go and keep their heads in the game.

How often pitchers challenge could shift depending on the player, the situation, or even the inning. That might change how managers use their bullpens and how games flow.

Fans and analysts will be watching to see who challenges, when they do it, and how it all shakes up pitch selection and game tempo. Balancing the risk and reward of a challenge could become its own little chess match.

Teams might adjust how they prep their catchers and set up game plans. If a pitcher almost never challenges, maybe the team leans even harder on good framing to steal a few strikes.

There’s a chance this whole system sparks a shift in how teams and players think about officiating versus just playing the game. Veteran pitchers might end up leading the way, for better or worse.

Catchers, Framing, and Strategic Value

Sale’s props for Murphy and Baldwin highlight something important: catcher framing is still a big deal, even with challenges in play. Murphy’s +2 framing runs and top-tier percentile show that elite catchers really can shape the strike zone and help their pitchers.

Baldwin’s more average framing still adds value, just not as much as Murphy. Teams might start weighing framing stats even more when picking catchers and planning games, especially when it comes to deciding whether to challenge in tight spots.

What to Watch This Season

As the season moves along, everyone’s watching to see if Sale will actually stick to his plan of skipping ABS challenges. If he does, it might nudge other pitchers to follow suit.

But, honestly, you’ll probably see a mix of approaches. Some pitchers might jump at the chance to use challenges as a weapon, while others could stick with Sale’s method—just trust the umps and focus on execution.

The way players handle the ABS system is shaping up to be one of the year’s most fascinating storylines. It’s always interesting to see how athletes adjust to new rules when the stakes are high on every pitch.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Challenge balls and strikes? 9-time All-Star Sale says he’ll ‘never’ do it