Red Sox get first look at MLB’s ABS challenge system as Willson Contreras overturns strike-three call

During Grapefruit League play this spring, the Boston Red Sox stepped into a new era of baseball when they received their first in-game look at Major League Baseball’s Automated Ball-Strike challenge system. The technology, intended to allow players to contest ball-and-strike calls in real time, made an immediate impact in Boston’s opener, providing a window into how strategy and windup could change under the experimental framework.In an instant that was fast fodder for discussion: The veteran catcher Willson Contreras challenged a called third strike and won, allowing him to salvage what was apparently the final at-bat of that trip to the plate. Even though the play occurred in spring training, it highlighted just how much the ABS system could have when the regular season rolls around.Against the Minnesota Twins, Contreras was in a two-strike count when home plate umpire called for a strike from a pitch on the edge. As soon as the call came, Contreras tapped his helmet, the universal sign of starting a challenge under the ABS system. In mere seconds, the stadium screen flashed the pitch tracking graphic, highlighting that the ball had just missed the strike zone.The call was reversed to a ball, and the Red Sox held on to their challenge because it worked. While Contreras did not end up making the most of the extended at-bat, it was the first time a Red Sox player had used the system in a game at that point. It also showed how quickly the review process can happen, with minimal interruption of the flow of play.Manager Alex Cora has said that spring training is the best time for players to get comfortable with the mechanics of the system. Teams are allowed two challenges per game, and successful mishaps are kept, creating an element of tactical decision-making that didn’t previously exist.While a fully automated strike zone would take the human umpire out of the equation entirely, the ABS challenge format keeps that person responsible for making an initial call. Players, including pitchers, batters and catchers, can immediately request a review after a pitch without help from the dugout. This maintains the old-time feel of the game while using technological precision when disputes arise.Early results from spring training across the league have shown a high percentage of challenged calls overturned, suggesting that borderline pitches might become even more consequential in close counts. For hitters, it is a safeguard against botched calls at pivotal moments. For pitchers, it brings confirmation that pitches on the fringe which are executed well, can be recognized.