Dodgers face difficulties with the ABS challenge system in Cactus League games

Dodgers Struggling with New Pitching System

PHOENIX –– It seems the Dodgers have finally discovered a weakness.

Before this spring training, their performance was notably below that of other teams.

This season, Major League Baseball is implementing the Automated Ball Strike Challenge System (ABS) for regular gameplay. So far, during Cactus League exhibition games, the Dodgers’ pitching has left much to be desired.

On Saturday, they managed to win just five out of 27 pitching calls they attempted. In terms of hitting, their success rate stood at a mere 15% (2 of 11), which is six percentage points worse than the average for other teams. For pitchers and catchers, the success rate was 21% (3 of 11), far below that of their closest competitors.

Despite these poor numbers, the Dodgers have been somewhat dismissive of the early results. Manager Dave Roberts mentioned, “We’re holding an organizational forum on Tuesday to discuss strategies with players and hitting coaches.”

Roberts also admitted that many of the team’s failed attempts were, in his words, “borderline” failures. He noted that the team’s overall approach to the strike zone has been lacking.

He seemed a bit uncertain when asked about the reasons for their struggles, saying, “Honestly, I don’t know the answer right now.”

With Opening Day just two weeks away, it’s critical for teams to quickly find solutions.

The Dodgers have been experimenting with the ABS system during spring training, not prioritizing strategy or results but focusing on understanding the nuances of the zone.

First baseman Freddie Freeman expressed the team’s intention to learn, stating, “Even if we’re wrong, we have to use it just to figure out the dimensions of the zone. Spring Training is all about figuring that out.” It’s a bit surprising; they’ve only had five successful challenges so far, while other clubs have made at least 12. The Yankees lead with 37.

“We need to improve our understanding,” Roberts said. “I believe we will.”

Most players anticipated to be on the Dodgers’ MLB roster have only taken a few challenges. Only Alex Cole and Dalton Rushing attempted multiple calls, with Cole achieving 1-of-2 and Rushing failing on 0-of-2. Notably, Rushing made the most attempts of any catcher, completing 2 of 6 challenges.

They’ve learned just how tight the margins are between a ball and a strike. Earlier this week, Rushing challenged a call, convinced it was a strike, but it was shown to miss the zone by a fraction. He jokingly remarked afterwards about the unexpected results, emphasizing that this is what spring training is meant for.

Rushing found some relief when he successfully challenged a borderline call on Saturday, and his joyful reaction when the graphic confirmed the win was a welcome moment amid the team’s struggles.

It remains uncertain how crucial the ABS system will be during actual games. Each team can only challenge two missed calls before losing the ability altogether, and often, a missed call can seem insignificant in the grand scheme of the game.