NEW YORK — Teams won 52.2 per cent of their ball/strike challenges during the spring training test of robot umpires, and catchers had a markedly better success rate than pitchers.
Major League Baseball said Wednesday that 617 of 1,182 challenges were successful in the 288 exhibition games using the Automated Ball-Strike System.
Batters won exactly 50 per cent of their 596 challenges and the defense 54 per cent, with catchers successful 56 per cent of the time and pitchers 41 per cent
Teams challenged 2.6 per cent of called pitches; offense asked for computer reviews of 4.4 per cent and the defense 1.8 per cent.
ABS was installed at 13 spring training ballparks hosting 19 teams, and an animation of the pitch was shown on video boards showing spectators the challenge result.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred says robot umpires could be used as early as the 2026 regular season but feedback from players and teams needs to be gathered and analyzed before a decision is made.
During the 2024 regular season, 10.9 per cent of called pitches in the strike zone were ruled balls and 6.3 per cent of called pitches outside of the strike zone were ruled strikes, according to MLB Statcast.
Challenges averaged 4.1 per game. The overturn rate was slightly higher than the 50.6 per cent for minor league games with the ABS system last year.
A challenge averaged 13.8 seconds, down from 16.6 at Triple-A.
Teams used their most challenges with a full count, 6.9 per cent, but were successful just 44 per cent of the time. While just 1.9 per cent of first pitches were challenged, the success rate was 57 per cent.
Challenges were made more often earlier in the game; 2.8 per cent of called pitches were challenged in the first three innings, 2.6 per cent in the middle innings, 2.3 per cent in the seventh and eighth and 2.4 per cent in the ninth. The overturn rate declined from 57 per cent in the third three innings to 49 per cent in the middle innings, then was 50 per cent in the seventh and eighth, and 41 per cent in the ninth.
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