Automated balls and strikes are in the major leagues, and of course longtime veterans are not satisfied.
Major League Baseball has been implemented Automated Ball Strike (ABS) Challenge System This is the first time this spring. It has been tested in minor leagues since 2021.
There's a pretty decent chance that 40-year-old Max Scherzer is out of the majors before it's implemented full-time (though Commissioner Rob Manfred hopes for that next year). However, he got a glimpse into the system with his spring training debut on Tuesday.
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Toronto Blue Jays starting pitcher Max Scherzer (31) will pitch towards the St. Louis Cardinals in the first innings of a spring training game at TD Ballpark. (Jonathan Dyer-Imagn image)
One of Shelzer's pitches was challenged by the batter (the batter won), and Shelzer was clearly plagued by a fiasco.
The new Toronto Blue Jay then appeared to be sarcastically challenging his own pitch – he lost.
“I'm a bit skeptical of this. I'm getting what we're trying to do here, but I think the major league referees are really good,” Scherzer said after he went out. “They're really good, so are we actually changing here? I know there's a ball that's changed to the ball and a ball that's changed to the ball… so it's basically even.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) throws the pitch during spring training at Cecil B. Englebert Complex. (Jonathan Dyer-Imagn image)
Sammy Sosa returns to the Cubs dugout after years of lifting with the team: “Blow back memories.”
“Can I play baseball?” he added. “We are humans. Can we be judged by humans? Do we really need to confuse the game? I think humans are defined by humans.”
This spring, teams will acquire two challenges per game, but each challenge can be maintained for each WON. Only the batter, pitcher or catcher can challenge the phone and must be immediately after the phone without the help of the bench or other players.
Toronto Blue Jays pitcher Max Scherzer (31) will roam the practice field during spring training at Cecil B. Englebert Complex. (Jonathan Dyer-Imagn image)
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It's an even bigger change in the sport commissioned by Manfred in 2023, which implemented pitch timers, larger bases and shift restrictions. However, fans seem to like change as attendance increases over the past two years.
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