The first year of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system absolutely changed the game, cutting ejections on calls related to balls and strikes by a mind-blowing 90 percent from 2025 to 2026. Seriously, ninety percent! That’s according to MLB data cited by Will Sammon and Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic. Overall, the number of ejections across the league dropped by 30 percent last season compared to 2025. It looked like the robot umps were making baseball a calmer, more consistent game. But hold on, because there’s a wild twist in the story.
The Check-Swing Catastrophe Nobody Saw Coming
While the ABS system was chilling out the dugout, another kind of call was heating up. The same report spills that ejections for check-swing calls *increased* by a whopping 65 percent year-over-year. And it gets worse: ejections related to replay decisions shot up by an insane 89 percent from 2025 to 2026. This isn’t just about hot-headed managers, though Tony Vitello of the San Francisco Giants led his league with seven ejections, and Aaron Boone of the New York Yankees had five. This is about a specific, frustrating part of the game that’s getting more contentious, not less.
The problem, it seems, is the unchecked swing. There’s no exact specification for what constitutes a checked swing in the MLB rulebook. A memo to teams in March did outline a replay system, saying a swing is “considered to have occurred if the maximum angle between the bat head and the bat handle exceeds 45 degrees.” That’s it. This fuzzy rulebook definition became a huge issue in Game 2 of the World Series. Yandy Díaz struck out on a super close check-swing ruling by the first-base umpire, which ended up securing a 5-4 win for the Milwaukee Brewers. You just know that call sparked a firestorm.
The Fix? More Robots, Of Course
So, what’s the league looking at? They’re giving “more serious” consideration to implementing a check-swing challenge system. It’s not a new idea, either. MLB first tried check-swing replay during the Arizona Fall League in 2024, using the same Hawk-Eye technology that powers the ABS system. That means every stadium is already set up for it. The system has already been used in the minors, making its Triple-A debut in 2026.
The rules for check-swing replay in the minors are pretty similar to the ABS system: each team gets two challenges to start, and if they use both before the ninth inning, they get a third. Only pitchers, hitters, and catchers are allowed to ask for a review. It sounds like a solid step to bring some much-needed clarity to those agonizing check-swing calls. The game needs consistency, especially when the stakes are high, and these numbers show we’re far from it on check swings.
It’s clear that while we’ve made huge strides in cleaning up the ball and strike zone, the check-swing saga is just getting started. It’ll be fascinating to see if MLB rolls out this challenge system fully. Here’s hoping it brings more fairness and fewer arguments to those nail-biting moments at the plate.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Bleacher Report.
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