Pirates' Paul Skenes Has Strong Stance on ABS

PITTSBURGH — Paul Skenes has dominated almost every challenge he's faced in a Pittsburgh Pirates uniform, but has a different one this year that out of the realm of what he can control.

MLB introduced the ABS challenge system with ABS standing for, "Automated Ball-Strike", which allows players to challenge the home plate umpire's call of a ball or a strike.

The league 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.

While some players have had their issues with ABS, Skenes likes the new system, which he sees benefitting everyone.

"It's pretty cool," Skenes said in an interview with ESPN. "I don't think it's been super one-sided where the pitchers are getting a lot more than the hitters. It feels right so far."

MLB teams have two challenges each game for ABS and lose them if they are wrong and retain them if they are right.

ABS determines whether a ball is a strike if it touches even any part of the strike zone and even if the ball is mostly outside of it, as long as it touches it, it will be called a strike.

"The strike zone is the strike zone," Skenes said in support of ABS. "A tenth of an inch inside the zone is still a strike. I wouldn't change anything."

How Pirates Have Fared with ABS So Far

The Pirates have used ABS this season with it going their way at times and other times not.

Two Pirates pitchers have made ABS challenges, with right-hander Bubba Chandler successful on his and left-hander Gregory Soto not successful on his.