"What I can tell you 100% is we are going to test the challenge system in Major League Spring Training in 2025," Manfred told Russo. "I think that's an important step forward." This statement emphasizes MLB's commitment to evaluate the challenge system during Spring Training, indicating a proactive approach to improving umpiring accuracy.
The challenge system leaves the human umpire as the default. Each team gets a finite number of challenges to turn to the automatic zone on borderline pitches. Challenges must be called for in real time by the hitter, pitcher or catcher. That'll leave some missed calls but reduces the likelihood of a blown call on an especially important pitch.
While MLB initially seemed to embrace a fully robotic zone, they've pivoted to the challenge system after testing both the challenge and the full ABS in the minors. This shift reflects feedback and insights from prior testing phases, suggesting that the blend of technology and human oversight could enhance the overall experience.
Manfred said in May that he didn't believe the technology would be sufficiently ironed out to put the automatic strike zone in place for meaningful games by '25. This illustrates the cautious approach MLB is taking to ensure that only well-tested and reliable technology impacts regular season games.
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