Tuesday’s MLB All-Star Game is serving up something way bigger than a home run derby: the Automated Ball-Strike System, or ABS, is stepping up to the plate.
A High-Tech MLB Fix for an Age-Old Problem
Now, if you’ve ever screamed at your TV over a called third strike that was clearly six inches outside, you’re not alone. According to MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, fan complaints about bad calls have been flooding the inboxes this season. And you know what? It’s not just that people are frustrated — it’s that they’ve seen a better way. Minor league games, spring training… the ABS has been quietly building its resume, and now it’s ready for prime time.
Manfred stopped by The Pat McAfee Show and gave us a little nugget of what’s to come. The ABS will be used during Tuesday night’s All-Star Game, and this isn’t just a one-off experiment — this is a dry run for what could be the biggest change to baseball since the designated hitter went full-league. Yep, MLB is eyeing a full-blown rollout of the ABS by 2026.
Not “Robot Umps” — Just Smarter Calls
But before anyone starts picturing C-3PO behind the plate, Manfred wants to pump the brakes on the phrase “robot umpires.” He insists this system is designed to help — not replace — human umps. They’ll still be there, masks and all, just with a little tech backup to make sure they don’t get roasted on social media for calling a strike at a batter’s ankles.
This is more of a collaboration than a takeover. The ABS can call balls and strikes, yes, but umpires will still manage the flow of the game — arguing managers, foul tips, all the unpredictable chaos that makes baseball feel human.
A Game-Changer with 2026 in Sight
So what does that actually mean for the game? Cleaner calls. Fewer arguments. Less drama — or maybe different drama. Picture this: a crucial at-bat, two outs, bottom of the ninth, and the pitch grazes the zone by a millimeter. The ABS confirms it. Boom. Strikeout. Game over. No yelling, no tossing dirt on home plate. Just cold, hard precision.
Is it the future of baseball? You bet it is. And if Tuesday night’s trial run goes off without a hitch, the question might not be if the ABS comes to the big leagues… but why it took this long in the first place.
