SAN FRANCISCO — Yankees Discuss ABS System Implementation

This spring, the Yankees really leaned into conversations about the automatic ball-strike system before it rolled out in key games.

“Honestly, I think we had too many meetings about it,” Aaron Judge joked, though he later reassured, “It’s all good.” So far, the initial outcomes seem promising.

In their season opener against the Giants, the Yankees executed 5-for-6 in the ABS Challenge, which included a perfect 3-for-3 on Saturday—pretty crucial for their 3-1 win at Oracle Park.

It all started when Trent Grisham batted in the third inning. Tyler Mahle threw a 2-2 pitch, called strike three by home plate umpire Chad Whitson. But when Grisham attempted to pitch afterward, the ball was too high, leading to a walk, which, interestingly, set the stage for Ben Rice’s two-run double that pushed the score forward.

“We’re well-prepared now,” coach Aaron Boone noted.

Austin Wells stepped in to handle the other two challenges and provided support for the relievers. In the seventh inning, during a tight 3-1 game, Jake Byrd faced Casey Schmidt and delivered an 0-1 pitch ruled a ball by Whitson. Wells challenged it, resulting in a strike, which led to Schmidt striking out a moment later.

“Watching Austin Wells overturn critical calls is great. It really shifts the momentum,” Aaron Judge commented.

Meanwhile, Carlos Rodon plans to head back to Tampa by Sunday or Monday. He’s anticipated to move on to live batting practice or an extended spring game as he continues recovering from his October surgery to remove a bone spur.

The left-hander threw about 40 pitches over three innings on Tuesday and aims to ramp that up to around 50 in his next outing. Boone was cautious, not officially declaring his next step but hinted it might lead to a rehab assignment.

Additionally, Gerrit Cole also expects a return to live action in Tampa soon. After his last start in Arizona on Tuesday, he mentioned that he thinks he’ll go through a phase of offloading before diving into rehab.

In other news, this win marked Boone’s 700th game as manager, making him the seventh Yankees manager to hit that milestone, joining the ranks of notable predecessors like Joe McCarthy and Joe Torre.