SF Giants React to ABS Challenge System in MLB 2026

Major League Baseball’s about to make a pretty big leap in 2026. The **automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system** is coming, aiming to boost call accuracy while still letting umpires do their thing.

MLB spent a lot of time testing this—spring training, minor leagues, you name it. They landed on a hybrid: teams get a limited number of ball and strike challenges, so the game keeps its quirks but gets a shot of modern tech.

How the ABS Challenge System Will Work

Umpires will still call balls and strikes like always. But now, each team gets **two challenges per game**, and if the game goes into extras, more challenges come into play.

Challenges won’t be handled by managers or coaches. Instead, pitchers, catchers, or batters can challenge a call right away—just a quick head tap. If you get it right, you keep your challenge for later.

The Role of Players in a Game-Changing Process

This system puts the power right in the hands of the folks actually playing: the batter, pitcher, and catcher. **Pitchers and catchers might use challenges to protect their game plan**, while hitters can fight back against calls that could shift the game’s momentum.

Support and Acceptance Among MLB Figures

San Francisco Giants manager Bob Melvin is all for the change. He’s pointed out the missed calls piling up in recent years and says MLB is serious about making the strike zone more consistent.

The goal isn’t to kick umpires out, just to make things a bit fairer and cut down on those maddening blown calls.

Catcher Patrick Bailey’s Perspective

Bailey’s one of the best defensive catchers in baseball, leading in **Catcher Framing Runs** for three seasons straight. At first, he wasn’t thrilled about ABS technology, since framing is his bread and butter.

But he’s come around. Bailey figures catchers will adjust and still help keep strike calls on their side.

Framing isn’t going away. Catchers still need to “keep strikes, strikes,” using their positioning and skill. Now, though, they can also challenge a missed call and maybe flip it in their favor.

Maintaining the Human Element

MLB tried out **full ABS** in the minors, but folks weren’t happy—it took the art out of pitching and catching. The challenge system keeps umpires in charge but lets tech step in for the really bad misses.

Melvin and Bailey both think elite catchers will still matter, though maybe not quite as much as before. There’s still a place for skill behind the plate.

Veteran Pitchers Endorse the Hybrid Approach

Guys like Justin Verlander and Robbie Ray have backed the challenge system, but they’re not fans of going full robot. They say part of baseball’s magic is in the gray areas—the corners, the ump’s tendencies, the little battles that happen pitch by pitch.

For them, technology should help, not take over. It’s about backup, not replacement.

• Launch set for the 2026 MLB season after extensive testing
• Teams get two challenges per game, plus extras in extra innings
• Challenges initiated only by pitchers, catchers, or batters
• Successful challenges are retained
• Top defenders like Patrick Bailey will adapt, preserving framing value
• Veteran pitchers favor hybrid approach over full automation

Looking Ahead

Baseball just keeps changing. Instant replay, pitch clocks, analytics—now the ABS challenge system is on deck.

Sure, controversy will pop up. But mixing tech with old-school tradition? That could actually work out.

With 2026 creeping closer, everyone’s watching. Will this hybrid strike zone really make things fairer, or will it mess with the spirit of the game?

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Here is the source article for this story: SF Giants share thoughts on ABS Challenge System coming to MLB in ’26