The biggest change that came to the MLB in 2026 has been the installation of the brand-new ABS challenge system.
While umpires are still the ones calling balls and strikes, the ABS challenge system ensures players can challenge bad calls.
In a new article published on ESPN yesterday, MLB stars, including Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes, revealed their thoughts on the ABS system after a few weeks of its use.
Paul Skenes says the ABS Zone is Perfect, Others Are Still Getting Used To It
Skenes said so far, he thinks the ABS system has been fair and is working well.
“It’s pretty cool,” Skenes said. “I don’t think it’s been super one-sided where the pitchers are getting a lot more than the hitters.”
Skenes said he felt the strike zone was perfect, and he would not change it.
“The strike zone is the strike zone,” Skenes said. “A tenth of an inch inside the zone is still a strike. I wouldn’t change anything.”
Other players are still getting used to ABS. Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman said he’s still trying to figure out the challenge system.
“It has provided a new aspect in the game,” Rutschman said. “There’s definitely a difference. You have to think about right times to challenge.”
Athletics’ reliever Mark Leiter Jr. said he has found it difficult to determine what is a ball and a strike.
“As a pitcher, it’s really hard to see the zone sometimes, especially when your visual is how good the catchers are at receiving,” Leiter said. “So, sometimes it’s hard to see and you don’t want to be wrong.”
With just two challenges allowed per team, Leiter seems to think that, strategically, it would not make sense for teams to allow for pitchers to challenge calls. That appears to be the strategy the Athletics are taking. Only one A’s pitcher has challenged a call through the team’s first 19 games.
In fact, according to ESPN’s tracking, 13 teams have not had a single pitcher challenge a strike. And only three teams, the Pirates, Orioles, and Phillies, have had multiple calls challenged by a pitcher.
The solution Leiter offered was to give one challenge per game to the starting pitcher and one per game to the bullpen. Presumably, that would be in addition to the two challenges allowed for the lineup or catchers.
Players Applaud Umpires for their Accuracy
The biggest reason for the implementation of the ABS system was to correct bad calls from umpires who made mistakes. However, the players interviewed all seemed to be happy with the quality of their umpires.
“I think when umpires get it right, it’s got to make ’em feel good,” said Los Angeles Angels catcher Travis d’Arnaud. “It’s harder than it looks on TV.”
Jared Young of the New York Mets said the umpires have been accurate so far.
“It doesn’t come up as much as people think,” Young said. “The umpires still do a very good job.”
Players Say the Fan Interaction Has Been Fun
Another sentiment among the players interviewed was that the ABS system has improved the fan experience.
“I’d say the thing I’m most surprised about is the fan interaction,” said Blue Jays pitcher Kevin Gausman. “Seems like the fans really enjoy telling the umpire whether it was a strike or not a strike.”
Baltimore Orioles reliever Rico Garcia echoed that sentiment.
“The fans seem to like it. They get loud when a call is overturned or is confirmed,” Garcia said. “It’s an interaction for them that they’ve never really had.”
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