Major League Baseball announced it has voted to confirm the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System for the 2026 season on Tuesday (September 23).

The ABS Challenge System will allow teams the change to request a quick review on crucial ball-strike calls during a game, which many view as the middle ground between human and robot umpires. The system was previously used in the Minor Leagues, as well as during MLB Spring Training and the 2025 All-Star Game for experimentation prior to being confirmed on Tuesday.

"The previous rule changes that have been adopted by the Joint Competition Committee have had staying power and created momentum for the game,” said MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred in a statement shared on the league's official website. "We used the same process with ABS that started with listening to fans, conducting extensive testing at the Minor League level, and trying at every step to make the game better. Throughout this process we have worked on deploying the system in a way that’s acceptable to players. The strong preference from players for the Challenge format over using the technology to call every pitch was a key factor in determining the system we are announcing today."

The ABS Challenge System is presented by T-Mobile for Business' Advanced Network Solutions and will run on its 5G private network.

"We’ve accomplished a lot through our longstanding partnership with MLB, and the rollout of ABS -- powered by T-Mobile 5G -- is one of our most exciting milestones yet,” said Mike Katz, president of marketing, strategy and products at T-Mobile via MLB.com. “It’s a powerful example of how we’re using our technology to help MLB innovate, while preserving the character of the game we love. And it’s only possible with the scale and reliability of America’s Best Network."

Lucy Chapman