Tigers’ Tarik Skubal Discusses ABS Challenge System After All-Star Game

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game brought plenty of historic moments. None stood out more than the debut of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system on the All-Star stage.

Detroit Tigers pitcher Tarik Skubal and Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh made the first-ever ABS challenge in All-Star history. Their challenge overturned a missed call and struck out Manny Machado.

The ABS system started out in the minor leagues and has stirred up debate about its place in Major League Baseball. Now, everyone’s watching to see what happens next.

What Is the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System?

The ABS challenge system represents MLB’s latest attempt to improve the accuracy of balls and strikes. MLB first tested it in the minors in 2021, then moved it up to Triple-A in 2022.

The system lets teams challenge umpire calls. But only pitchers, catchers, or batters can start a challenge.

How It Works

Each team gets two challenges per game. If you win a challenge, you keep it.

The ABS system uses motion-capture tech to quickly deliver a ruling. During the All-Star Game, a challenge finished in under 15 seconds. Not bad for a replay system.

Historic First: Skubal and Raleigh Make ABS History

Skubal and Raleigh made history as the first to use ABS in an All-Star Game. When umpires missed a third-strike call on Manny Machado, they challenged right away and got the strikeout.

For Skubal, who sits on the MLBPA executive subcommittee, the moment meant even more. He thinks ABS could show up in big-league games as soon as 2026.

The Players’ Take on ABS

Skubal liked the challenge system during the game, but not everyone agrees. Manny Machado, for example, prefers the traditional human touch of umpiring.

This kind of resistance isn’t new. It popped up with the pitch clock and infield shift ban, too. Skubal still thinks players will adapt—it’s just part of the game now.

Real-Time Impact: ABS Adds Strategy and Fairness

The All-Star Game put ABS to the test. The American League won all three of its challenges, while the National League went one-for-two.

The results showed how this system could level the playing field. Teams now have to think carefully about when to use their challenges.

What the Fans Thought

Fans seemed to enjoy the drama and precision ABS brought. Quick rulings kept the game moving, so delays weren’t really an issue.

The mic’d-up moments with Skubal and Raleigh added some fun, even if the pitch clock kept those chats short. It made the whole thing feel more interactive.

Looking to the Future

With ABS making a successful debut on national TV, it feels like a matter of when—not if—it’ll arrive in the majors. Skubal, as an MLBPA player rep, thinks it could happen by 2026, depending on how talks go.

Challenges and Controversies Ahead

There will be bumps in the road. Purists worry about losing the human element, and umpires might not love a system that challenges their authority.

Still, ABS’s success in fairness and fan engagement makes it hard to ignore. Players, like always, will have to adapt.

Baseball’s changed a lot—pitch clocks, expanded playoffs, shift bans. The ABS system could be the next big step, for better or worse.

Final Takeaway: A Glimpse of Baseball’s Future

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game wasn’t just about talent. It also spotlighted some real innovation.

Tarik Skubal and Cal Raleigh helped launch what could be a new era in officiating. The ABS system brings a fresh twist to baseball’s evolution.

Some folks don’t love the idea of automation. But honestly, the mix of fairness, strategy, and fan excitement might just win people over.

Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a stubborn traditionalist, it’s hard to ignore what’s happening. Baseball’s future is arriving fast, and it’s running on some seriously advanced tech.

 
Here is the source article for this story: Tigers’ Tarik Skubal shares opinion on ABS challenge system after All-Star Game