The ABS challenge system being tested in multiple spring training ballparks this year has, for the most part, been received politely. The Los Angeles Dodgers got their first look at it during Max Muncy’s first spring at-bat, when Cubs pitcher Cody Poteet challenged a borderline pitch called a ball, which was then amended for a strike to put Muncy behind 0-2.
The ABS has already existed in minor league parks for some time, with Triple-A ballparks employing them in 2023 and 2024. Teams get two challenges each, but only the pitcher, catcher, or batter are allowed to call for them. There are no promises that it’ll make its way to the majors, but the experimentation with major league hitters in the spring does seem auspicious.
Aside from putting umpires under a little more pressure and holding them accountable, the system gives some power back to players, especially to hitters, in high-leverage situations, as missed calls usually end up favoring pitchers.
To no one’s surprise, an eternally disgruntled figure in baseball put in a bad review. Former Dodger Max Scherzer said of the ABS system: “Can we just be judged by humans?“
Max Scherzer isn’t a fan of the automated ball-strike system pic.twitter.com/hU7MCbBMMd
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) February 25, 2025
To no one’s surprise, former Dodger Max Scherzer has complaints about the new ABS system
It’s funny that Scherzer is the one asking to be judged by humans when he’s had a viral history of antagonism with umpires. He clearly just doesn’t want to give hitters an advantage, which would be fair enough if it weren’t for the fact that it’s not really even an advantage if a ball called a strike is truly a ball. It’ll make pitchers’ and catchers’ jobs a little harder, but it’ll also be fairer.
While calls are being used rather liberally in low-stakes spring training games, it’s doubtful that will be the case if the system moves to the majors. After all, teams only get two, and it’ll be a lot more impactful to use a challenge in the late innings of a close game than inconsequential spring matchups.
The Dodgers don’t really have to think about Scherzer anymore — he’s all the way over in Toronto on a one-year deal with a team that probably won’t get him back to the postseason in these last few years of his career — but him playing contrarian about something that seems like it could be a net positive for the game is still aggravating.