Major League Baseball will be using the automated ball-strike (ABS) system for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game. MLB said Wednesday it intends to make the All-Star announcement Thursday.
The automated ball-strike system has been used during spring training and in the minor leagues. Teams can challenge the call on a particular pitch, and the ABS system determines whether the pitch was a strike based on whether it’s in the prototypical strike box. The animation of the pitch relative to if it’s a strike will be shown on the screen in the ballpark for fans. Umpires will remain on the field.
MLB uses Hawk-Eye system technology for the ABS system, which the NFL is now using to determine where the ball should be placed.
Both the American League and National League teams will have two challenges apiece, with a pitcher, hitter or catcher being the only people who can request the ABS system challenge. The possibility of the system being implemented on a full-time basis has been a frequent topic of conversation in the sport.
Teams won 52.2% of their ball/strike challenges during the spring training test, with 617 of 1,182 challenges successful in the 288 exhibition games using the Automated Ball-Strike System. ABS was installed at 13 spring training ballparks hosting 19 teams, and an animation of the pitch was shown on video boards displaying the challenge result for spectators to see.
Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said last month that the ABS system was likely to be considered for regular-season use by the 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives.
“I do think that we’re going to pursue the possibility of change in that process and we’ll see what comes out at the end of that,” he said. “The teams are really positive about ABS. I do have that unscientific system that I use: my email traffic. And my distinct impression is that using ABS in spring training has made people more prone to complain of balls and strike calls via email to me referencing the need for ABS.”
During the 2024 regular season, 10.9% of called pitches in the strike zone were ruled balls and 6.3% of called pitches outside of the strike zone were ruled strikes, according to MLB Statcast.
MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019.
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game is Tuesday, July 15th at Truist Park (8 p.m. ET on FOX and the FOX Sports app), home of the Atlanta Braves.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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