MESA, Ariz. – The Cubs coaching staff hasn’t spent any time talking to the team about the robot umpire challenge system that will make its spring training debut Thursday in their Cactus League opener against the Dodgers, manager Craig Counsell said.
“It’s a spring training game, with a system that’s not being used during the season,” Counsell said and then chuckled. “We’ll tell the guys before they go up to the plate and the catcher before the game.”
Major League Baseball is testing out its automated ball-strike system, or ABS for short, in spring training after first using it in the minor leagues. It wouldn’t be introduced during the regular season until 2026 at the earliest.
Even this spring, it will only be available at 13 sites in Arizona and Florida combined. The five Cactus League stadiums with the technology are those that house two teams: Camelback Ranch, Peoria Sports Complex, Surprise Stadium, Goodyear Ballpark and Salt River Fields.
“It’s a test for some future, unknown thing,” Counsell said. “So it’s a little hard to put your head in and really prepare for it when there’s enough that we’ve got to get ready for. I’m sure we’ll see the first one, and there’ll be maybe an ‘Ooh,’ maybe an ‘Ahh.’”
Each team gets two challenges and will retain those challenges if successful. Only the batter, pitcher or catcher can challenge.
The league is expecting about four challenges per game, based on experiments in the minors. The overturn rate was about 50%.
Countdown to Tokyo begins
The Cubs have 20 spring training games, including one split quad day, before leaving for Tokyo. In evaluating whether they’d need to get their hitters extra at-bats, they looked at shortened spring training camps of the past.
“It’s kind of in line with the lockout-shortened spring a couple years ago,” Counsell said. “The COVID summer ramp-up was short.”
In 2022, after the lockout ended on March 10, the Cubs had 21 spring training games. In 2020, when baseball resumed during the COVID-19 pandemic, they played intersquad scrimmages and just three exhibition games before opening the season.
“We did two extra days of live [batting practice], so we got some extra looks at pitchers there,” Counsell said. “And then feel like we can get everybody on a good schedule, 20-plus plate appearances.”
This and that
Veteran hitter Justin Turner was in the Cubs clubhouse Wednesday morning, having agreed to terms on a one-year contract worth $6 million. His physical was scheduled for Wednesday, and his signing is expected to become official Thursday. The Cubs will need to clear room on the 40-man roster to add him.
- Opening Day starter Shota Imanaga threw a bullpen Wednesday and is scheduled for a simulated game Friday. His first Cactus League action is expected next week.
- On deck: Cubs at Dodgers, 3:05 p.m. Thursday, Glendale, MLB Network, Cody Poteet vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto.