"We obviously had to make an agreement with them to use it, and we made the agreement. I will say this: I think that they were more receptive to using it on every pitch, because nobody knows what he would have called. The problem with the challenge system is it points out when you're wrong. And I think nobody likes to be shown, in front of 48,000 people, they just missed the pitch."
"Over the course of Minor League experimentation last year, there were two types of ABS systems tested in Triple-A. There was a full automated ball-strike system and the present-day ABS challenge system. The option that MLB umpires seemingly would have preferred was the full ABS system, which calls balls and strikes on every pitch. But MLB decided on using the ABS challenge system going forward in accordance with the preferences of players, coaches, and fans."
The Automatic Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system will be integrated into Major League Baseball games at the start of the next season, marking the sport's largest rule change since the 2023 pitch clock. Triple-A and Spring Training use produced positive player feedback that accelerated MLB adoption. Negotiations with the Major League Baseball Umpires Association produced an agreement despite umpires expressing a preference for a full automated strike zone. Two ABS approaches were tested in the Minors: a full automated system and an on-demand challenge system. MLB selected the challenge system to preserve the human umpire element while improving call accuracy. Players, coaches, and fans favored the balance of technology and human judgment, though public exposure of missed calls remained a key umpire concern.
Read at Dodger Blue
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