The Automated Ball-Strike System is pulling some wild stuff in the postseason, seriously. Robot umps are handing out more wins to batters on challenges this October than they did all regular season, and teams are absolutely leaning into it. We’re talking 71 out of 121 overall challenges went through in the Wild Card and Division Series games, clocking in at a 59% success rate. That’s a jump from 54% during the regular season, and for batters specifically, it’s a huge bump to 57% success from a mere 49%. This isn’t just a slight tweak; it’s a fundamental shift, and it’s making every single pitch a potential game-changer.
The Challenge Surge: More Swings, More Wins
Teams are challenging *way* more pitches in the postseason, going from 4.3 per game in the regular season to 4.8 per game now. And guess who’s doing most of the challenging? Batters. Their challenges are up to 2.04 per game from 1.96. What’s the deal? It’s simple: if you win more challenges, you get more chances to use them since you only get two unsuccessful tries per game before you’re out. Rays catcher Liam Hicks put it perfectly, saying teams might be “a little more cautious” but also, “you want to save these for a meaningful situation.” It shows these guys are playing chess out there, not checkers. Catchers are still pretty good at their own challenges, too, winning 60% of their 70 tries, just above their 59% regular season mark. Pitchers only made one challenge, by the way, with Tampa Bay’s Griffin Jax being the lone arm to try it, and he won.
Who’s Mastering The Tech? Some Players Are Built Different
The numbers for teams advancing to the League Championship Series are all over the place, showing how varied the approach is. Cleveland won 7 of 13 challenges, Milwaukee snagged 8 of 16, and Tampa Bay went 3 for 5, with zero challenges coming from their batters. The Dodgers? Just 2 of 6. Atlanta, though, they’re playing a different game, winning a massive 14 of 22 challenges across seven games. The White Sox also went big with 12 of 31. Individually, some guys are just naturals at this. Milwaukee’s Jake Bauers and Atlanta’s Austin Riley each won both their challenges. On the flip side, the White Sox’s Munetaka Murakami went 0 for 2, and the Braves’ Ronald Acuña Jr., despite making the most challenges, split his four tries.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone nailed it when he talked about this “new muscle for these guys to instinctually have.” He said some players are “really good and really adept at it early on,” while others are “a work in progress.” We’re seeing it, man! Braves catcher Sean Murphy is a wizard, going 4 for 4. And Phillies’ J.T. Realmuto? Five of six, including the first-ever game-ending ABS challenge in postseason history in Game 2 of the Wild Card Series against Atlanta. That’s clutch! Realmuto also noted players are getting smarter about when to use them, saying, “Some of the first-inning challenges, 1-0 counts, it’s like, let’s let those go and save them for when we might need them later in the game.” Meanwhile, Kyle Teel of the White Sox led everyone with 8 wins out of 12 challenges, while Guardians’ Patrick Bailey was 4 for 10 and the Brewers’ William Contreras won 4 of 9. Even in high-leverage spots, 8 of 17 challenges were successful, showing these guys aren’t afraid to go for it when it counts. Braves manager Walt Weiss said it best, you “don’t know what it’s going to lead to, even if it’s early.”
So, as we head deeper into October baseball, keep an eye on these ABS challenges. It’s not just about the pitches anymore; it’s about the appeals, the strategy, and who can out-think the robot. Every single game remaining in this postseason is going to hinge on these split-second decisions.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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