What New ABS Challenge System Means for D-backs

It's happening. The Automatic Balls and Strikes challenge system is coming to the regular season in 2026, and the Arizona Diamondbacks shared some thoughts on MLB's newest implementation.

What is the ABS Challenge System?

The ABS challenge system creates a virtual strike zone for each player based on their height. It will not coincide with the strike zone shown on TV.

Instead of fully automating balls and strikes — and therefore eliminating the home plate umpire — teams will be given two challenges per game. If they use both challenges before going to extra innings, they will receive another.

Pitchers, catchers and batters are permitted to challenge calls. Who is given the green light to do so and in what situations will depend on individual club's game plans.

Manager Torey Lovullo was all in favor. So what do Diamondbacks players think of the new rule, and what might it mean for pitchers and catchers?

Diamondbacks On SI's Jack Sommers caught up with some of those voices in Arizona's clubhouse on Tuesday.

Arizona Diamondbacks Give Thoughts on ABS Challenge System

Right-hander Zac Gallen was a member of the competition committee that voted on the rule change. He said he leans slightly more against the system than for it.

"I was pretty indifferent. I kind of knew it was looming, just the way the vote is structured. So I tried not to get too one way or the other about it. If you were to ask me, I would probably lean more so against it, not necessarily in favor of it," Gallen said.

In total, the players were given four votes, up against six from the owners and one by the umpires. Those vote totals were divided based on the internal percentage. Gallen said roughly two-thirds of MLB clubhouses were in favor, so the players split their votes 3-1, with three "yes" votes and one "no."

Gallen said the vote, as a whole, was a positive. MLB is more willing to listen to players' concerns on changes such as this one.

"I think from what I've noticed being on the committee... there have been issues we've raised about changes they wanted to make, and those kind of fell on deaf ears for a little bit. And then I think they started to realize, 'Oh, the players actually have a point on some of these things,'" he said.

"I think they're becoming a little more open to listening to some of the kind of hesitations we have with certain things that they want to implement."

Gallen did admit there might be some benefit to the ABS system in practicality, however.

"I do like the ability to be able to challenge some pitches in big spots... Maybe it's a 3-2 pitch, bases loaded and it's a strike, called a ball. You're out of the inning as opposed to giving up a run.

"I'm not a purist... I don't mind the human element of it. But at the same time... the ability to be able to go, 'You missed that one in a big spot.' I want to challenge. I want to be able to get that call right," Gallen said.

Of course, the glaring assumption is the system will benefit the hitters slightly more than the pitchers. Left-handed reliever Andrew Saalfrank shared that sentiment.

"[As a pitcher], I think you benefit from not having it, just getting those calls off the corners," Saalfrank said. "I think it's going to make pitching a little bit more difficult in terms of ERAs and stuff like that are going to have a whole different viewpoint to them."

"Statistically, I think it's going to have a big impact on the game, just because it shrinks the small-ish zone even more for the hitters that are paid to do what they're doing."

Saalfrank said major league hitters are so good, the extra half-ball's width of breathing room will provide an advantage.

"I think you eliminate those 50-50 pitches for the pitchers, and I think it gives that many more hitters advantage counts throughout the game," he said.

Catcher James McCann — as he often does — provided a mature, veteran perspective on the potential concerns for the system.

"I like it better than just a fully automated zone because it still allows for catcher's framing to a certain degree," he said. "But the biggest issue for me right now is... there's about four different strike zones that are being used to be judged."

McCann went through them: a zone for which the umpires are given a grade, a zone on which the catchers' framing metric is graded on, the zone the fans see on TV, and the ABS zone.

"It's setting the people within the game up for failure," McCann said. "Because catchers are getting graded one way, umpires are getting graded another way. They're getting mad at each other because the strike zones are somewhat different.

"And then you've got a whole other group of people that are seeing the broadcast strike zone, which isn't the same strike zone as what we're getting graded on. So I say all that introducing the ABS challenge system is going to basically make one strike zone. ... It's going to standardize it."

McCann said that attempted standardization might cause some differences from stadium to stadium.

"I'm not convinced that ABS strike zone is the same from stadium to stadium. I know I've talked to guys from Triple-A that they'll talk to each other, opponents and say, 'Hey, our strike zone's a little bit more generous on the first base side.'

"How that can be standardized, I don't know. So that worries me to a certain degree. I guess it leads to a little bit of home field advantage," McCann said.

As with any new rule, the ABS challenge system will come with its ups and downs. The ultimate effects remain to be seen, but it does seem like a step in a positive direction for the health of the game.

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