Rule Changes for 2026

[imref]

Per Passan: Ball/Strike challenges coming 2026. Each team gets 2 per game.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Per Passan: Ball/Strike challenges coming 2026. Each team gets 2 per game.

[varoadking]

Per Passan: Ball/Strike challenges coming 2026. Each team gets 2 per game.

Won't happen, but I'd rather a game simply be called a tie after 10 innings than use the ghost runners in extras...

[imref]

Won't happen, but I'd rather a game simply be called a tie after 10 innings than use the ghost runners in extras...

The Bananas tie breaker would be a massive improvement on what MLB is doing today.

[blue911]

Per Passan: Ball/Strike challenges coming 2026. Each team gets 2 per game.

Another dumb rule. How about getting the call right and stop pushing incompetence into some tactical decision.

[Slateman]

Indeed

[varoadking]

They keep the challenge if upheld, which means we are likely headed back to 3-1/2 hour games...

Checked swings should be interesting...

Juan Soto is gonna have a field day with this...

[imref]

They keep the challenge if upheld, which means we are likely headed back to 3-1/2 hour games...

Checked swings should be interesting...

Juan Soto is gonna have a field day with this...

if they use the system in the minors a challenge takes a few seconds.

[blue911]

They keep the challenge if upheld, which means we are likely headed back to 3-1/2 hour games...

Checked swings should be interesting...

Juan Soto is gonna have a field day with this...

How is it addressing bad umpiring which is the problem.

[Slateman]

They keep the challenge if upheld, which means we are likely headed back to 3-1/2 hour games...

Checked swings should be interesting...

Juan Soto is gonna have a field day with this...

if they use the system in the minors a challenge takes a few seconds.

Yep.

How is it addressing bad umpiring which is the problem.

By reversing bad calls

[varoadking]

How is it addressing bad umpiring which is the problem.

Ya got me...I don't even like the current instant replay...

[blue911]

Yep.
By reversing bad calls

That doesn’t improve bad umpiring, it gives momentary relief from it. It just shifts the blame from the commissioner’s office to the dugout. The goal should be getting the call right not making crappy call part of game play.

[Slateman]

That doesn’t improve bad umpiring, it gives momentary relief from it. It just shifts the blame from the commissioner’s office to the dugout. The goal should be getting the call right not making crappy call part of game play.

You will never remove bad umpiring. There is simply too much velocity and movement for umpires to catch up.

This is the solution to "getting the call right." At one point, there will be robo umps, at which point, catchers will basically become the DH.

[blue911]

You will never remove bad umpiring. There is simply too much velocity and movement for umpires to catch up.

This is the solution to "getting the call right." At one point, there will be robo umps, at which point, catchers will basically become the DH.

I agree totally about velocity and movement being the major cause. It’s also, or at least to me,  clear that if you have the technology to improve what the human eye can’t, then that technology should be used all the time. Anything else is stupid because it sends a message that the umpires are incompetent and we really don’t care.

[HalfSmokes]

When they trialed it, everyone involved preferred challenges to straight up robo calls

[Elvir Ovcina]

Ya got me...I don't even like the current instant replay...

It's really unobtrusive.  It takes less time than a pitcher stepping off the mound.  And it humbles umps who suck, which is not without its benefits.

It also ironically brings some humanity into the game.  They show the ABS tracking on the video board. After seeing a number of games with ABS (AAA and Spring Training), one thing that struck me is how close almost every one the ump got wrong was.  It's hard as heck to accurately call a 92 mph slider that's either right on the black or 0.05 inches off it.  This brings that home.

[bluestreak]

I love it. It is literally impossible for humans to get this 100 percent right. And the people complaining about this would certainly complain much more if we went straight robo umps.

Robo umps would change the game significantly.  I think if it was programmed to call the strike zone exactly as it is in the rule book, lots of things we generally accept as balls or strikes would change.

[nobleisthyname]

One nice side benefit is this potentially means they'll have to remove the on-screen strike zone unless they're somehow able to dynamically sync it up with the ABS system in real time, since it will change with every batter.

[imref]

Certainly could have used the ABS system in last nights games. Just some horrible calls.

[imref]

https://awfulannouncing.com/news/telecasts-ball-strike-abs-debut.html

According to a recent report by Jeff Agrest in the Chicago Sun-Times, MLB broadcasts will no longer indicate whether a pitch is a ball or a strike within the on-screen strike zone box, as the league is exercising an abundance of caution to ensure teams cannot exploit the broadcast to their advantage when challenging pitches. Previously, broadcasts would indicate strikes as a filled-in circle within the strike-zone box, and balls would use a hollow circle. Now, all circles will look the same.

[imref]

https://www.yardbarker.com/mlb/articles/rule_changes_for_the_2026_mlb_season/s1_17256_43476076

[nobleisthyname]

https://awfulannouncing.com/news/telecasts-ball-strike-abs-debut.html

They should just remove the strikezone box entirely!

[Slateman]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7154534/2026/03/28/cb-bucknor-abs-challenges-eugenio-suarez-reds-red-sox/?source=user_shared_article

Bucknor had six calls overturned

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7154534/2026/03/28/cb-bucknor-abs-challenges-eugenio-suarez-reds-red-sox/?source=user_shared_article

Bucknor had six calls overturned

Eugenio challenged 2 punch out pitches in a row with the bases loaded and got both overturned.

That doesn't even count the check swing to punch out of Trevor Story with a runner on down 1 run to end the 8th. Refused to check with first, replay had the Cinci announcers saying how bad it was.

[Smithian]

I think there will be serious discussions of a fully automatic strikezone by the all star break. This isn't sustainable right now with the amount of calls being overturned. It puts umpire in a terrible spot and somehow I feel like there is more anger about strike zones than before this system.