Pirates Aren't Having an Easy Time With ABS System

Mar 7, 2025; Bradenton, Florida, USA; a pitch was challenged during a spring training game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and Philadelphia Phillies at LECOM Park. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

Pirates Aren't Having an Easy Time With ABS System

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI
By Dominic Campbell | Last updated Apr 23, 2026 4:15 PM ET

Add us as a preferred source on Google

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Pirates have at their disposal a new challenge system that allows them to greatly change the outcome of games, but haven't done well with it so far.

MLB games now have the ABS challenge system, with "ABS" standing for "Automated Ball-Strike", allowing players the ability to challenge a called ball or strike, preventing a strikeout or walk or vice versa, earning a strikeout or walk in the process.

The Pirates have ranked amongst the worst teams with ABS so far this season through games played on April 22, with their 43.5% success rate on challenges 27th-best in the major leagues, or fourth-worst.

Only the San Francisco Giants, who rank 28th at 41.9%, the Cleveland Guardians, who rank 29th at 41.3%, and the Washington Nationals, who rank 30th at 35.1%, have been worse than the Pirates in 2026.

Which Pirates are Using ABS?

ABS challenge system started this season and it uses five Hawk-Eye cameras at all 30 MLB stadiums, which are there for Statcast, which track the movement of the baseball and determine whether the call was correct or not.

The main Pirates position player that has used the ABS challenge system is designated hitter Marcell Ozuna.

Ozuna has gotten four of his seven challenges right, a 57.1% success rate, but originally started 2026 with four correct challenges, before missing his past three.

Pittsburgh's position players rank tied for 20th in baseball at 44.0%, along with the Toronto Blue Jays.

The Pirates have had two pitchers that have challenged calls in right-handed starting pitcher Bubba Chandler and left-handed relief pitcher Gregory Soto.

Chandler's had just one challenge, which came against theChicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on April 12

He tipped his ball cap, but not intentionally, as that is a normal gesture from him on the mound. It ended up working out, making him one of just 11 MLB pitchers with a successful challenge, but he made sure the home plate umpire knew that further on, he wouldn't challenge pitches that way.

Soto has missed on both of his challenge calls this season and another pitcher missed on his. giving the Pirates a 25% rate for pitcher challenges, 10th in the major leagues.

Pittsburgh also ranks 26th in catcher challenges at 47.1%, which both catchers in Joey Bart and Henry Davis have contributed to.

The Boston Red Sox (46.2%), Giants (41.7%), Baltimore Orioles (41.2%) and Nationals (33%), are the only teams with worse catcher challenge percentages than the Pirates.

This article first appeared on Pittsburgh Pirates on SI and was syndicated with permission.

More must-reads: