The Red Sox utilized the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system to overturn a strike call, leading to a walk for Roman Anthony and subsequently two insurance runs in their 3-0 win over the Reds. This season marks the first implementation of ABS challenges in MLB, with each team allotted two challenges per game, with the hitter, catcher, or pitcher being the only ones able to initiate the challenge.
One of the best uses of the ABS challenge came during the Red Sox ’s 3-0 win over the Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday. Here’s how it played out: Roman Anthony was at the plate in the top of the ninth with two outs and a runner at first.
Facing a 3-2 count, it initially looked like Anthony struck out looking against the Reds’ Connor Philips as home plate umpire Dan Iassogna rung him up on a pitch that looked to be a little low and out of the zone. As Reds players started to run off the field, Anthony quickly tapped his helmet to ask for a review. Then moments later the call was overturned and ruled a ball. Anthony took first base on a walk and the Red Sox went on to add two insurance runs.That was an absolutely perfect use of the ABS challenge by Anthony and the Red Sox. They had nothing to lose by challenging it and everything to gain. Being able to score two runs after that didn’t change the outcome of the game, as the Reds went scoreless in their final at-bats, but going into the bottom of the ninth inning with a 3-0 lead feels a lot better than going in with a 1-0 lead.After a few years of testing at the minor league level, this is the first year that ABS will be used in MLB games. Each team gets two challenges a game. If a game goes to extra innings each team gets another challenge to work with. If a team has a leftover challenge heading into the 10th inning, they will not get an extra one. However, if they use their challenge in the 10th inning and the game continues into the 11th inning, they will get another challenge.Who is allowed to challenge a call This is where it gets a little fun. There are only three people who can call for a challenge—the hitter, catcher and pitcher. Managers, who have been known to argue balls and strikes since basically the beginning of time, are not allowed to challenge a call. They have to depend on their players to call for a challenge and they also have to devise a strategy around it so players don’t waste any challenges. The players calling for a challenge must do so quickly by tapping their helmet or hat and they are not allowed to get any assistance from teammates or manager. If they do get help, the challenge will not be granted.The answer to that question is mostly yes, but there are three games in which it will not be available. “The lone exceptions for 2026 will be the Mexico City Series , the Field of Dreams game and the Little League Classic , none of which will be played in an MLB park and therefore will not have the infrastructure to support the system.” We are just two days into the season but it’s already clear that this system is going to be great for the game and could also play a huge factor in wins and losses.Andy Nesbitt is the assistant managing editor of audience engagement at Sports Illustrated. He works closely with the Breaking and Trending News team to shape SI’s daily coverage across all sports. A 20-year veteran of the sports media business, he has worked for Fox Sports, For the Win, The Boston Globe and NBC Sports, having joined SI in February 2023. Nesbitt is a golf fanatic who desperately wants to see the Super Bowl played on a Saturday night.
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