Robot Umpires?! No Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System for MLB in 2024

There’s good news and bad news, baseball fans! The good news, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has put the kibosh on adding “robot umpires” to the Major League’s in 2024.  The bad news, Major League Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred has put the kibosh on adding “robot umpires” to the Major League’s in 2024.  This is according to a tweet from Audacy Sports baseball insider Bob Nightengale.

Manfred has held firm that the automated ball-strike system (ABS), not to be confused with anti-lock braking system, will not make it to an MLB ballpark anytime soon.  MLB, through its minor leagues and the Arizona Fall League, began testing ABS during the 2022 season.  The system was a hit.  Both batters and pitchers are able to “challenge” a call that they feel is wrong.  Using an automated strike zone similar to the strike zone box on TV telecasts, the calls are reviewed and changed or the call on the field stands.  According to MLB.com, 33.3% of challenges were successful during testing in the AFL.

Here’s how it works.

So why is it good news, bad news?

Well, if you’re one of the “old man yells at cloud” boomers that wants to “keep the game the way it is” than you should be thrilled that Czar Manfred isn’t taking away another classic baseball rule.  So, good news for you.  If you’re like most of us that realize baseball needs to evolve with the times than this falls into the “bad news” category.  It means that a certain segment of the baseball fanbase will still have to be subject to the “Umpire Show” featuring the likes of CB Bucknor and friends.

It’s a bit of a surprise that MLB is waiting to implement the ABS at the Major League level considering the rave reviews the newer rules, including the pitch clock, have been receiving from fans and some players. But, like anything related to Major League Baseball, it will likely have to be approved by 900 different votes and ratified and added to the CBA and given some advertising.