The crack of the bat, the roar of the crowd – and the umpire’s call, it’s been the rhythm of baseball for generations. 

But as Major League Baseball (MLB) experiments with robotic strike zones, that timeless soundscape could soon be reduced to silence.

Umpires started calling balls and strikes in 1864, according to a Feb. 18 MLB article. 

But MLB just announced that it could begin using the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System for the 2026 season, according to a Sept. 23 MLB article. 

When I watch a game, I don’t just see players competing – I see personalities interacting. 

The human element is what makes baseball a beautiful sport because the umpires are part of the ecosystem.

I believe the ABS system takes away the human element, flattens the emotional pulse of the game, and turns one of the most personal moments in sports into something mechanical.

The ABS was tested during the 2025 MLB Spring Training, according to an MLB.com article. 

I’ve grown up watching how each umpire has their own strike zone, rhythm and presence behind the plate.

Sometimes certain calls frustrate me, but that’s part of the experience of being a baseball fan. 

Those moments of tension, when fans yell at the TV or a manager argues a call is what make baseball feel alive.

I don’t want to watch a sport where every call is decided by a computer and displayed on a screen like a video game.

The ABS system was tested in last season’s MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta, according to a July 15, CNN article. 

 While some believe it could make the game fairer, I see it as a threat to what makes baseball special. 

Baseball has always been about emotion and instinct, not algorithms and pixels.

The imperfections are part of the story, and to me, taking that away would strip the sport of its soul.

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has expressed support for implementing the ABS System, according to a Sep 23, 2025 MLB.com article. 

I totally understand that supporters of the ABS system argue it would make the game more consistent.

The bottom of the zone has stayed at 27% since 2022, following a slight adjustment from its original 28%, according to a Feb, 20, 2025, Fox Sports article. 

But umpires bring personality and authority to the game and using technology to make their calls ruins that. 

The best umpires know how to manage the pace, calm tensions and keep players focused.

They have a presence that can’t be replaced by a voice in an earpiece.

I don’t want baseball to become like tennis, where players rely on technology to settle disputes. 

Baseball should be about instinct, not instant replay.

The recent push for the ABS system – often referred to as the “robot umpire,” according to Jun 21, 2024 CBS Sports article. 

Has left me uneasy because I really think that this defeats the purpose of having a home plate umpire. 

Baseball isn’t perfect, and that’s exactly why I love it. 

The game mirrors life: it’s unpredictable, emotional, and full of moments you can’t script. 

While an automated system may promise fairness, it would drain the sport of its authenticity.

Using the ABS system defeats the purpose of having a home plate umpire. 

The only players that can challenge a pitch that they don’t agree with are the pitcher, catcher, or batter, and they can do this by tapping their helmet or hat, according to a Sept. 24, Yahoo! Sports article. 

One reason why I absolutely despise the ABS system is because of the fact that there could be less of the human element. 

Each team is allowed two challenges at the start of the game and if they are successful, they are granted another one.  

The ABS rolls out through a challenge format where umpires continue to make calls on the field, but players can contest certain ones using the automated system. 

MLB has been experimenting with robot umpires for several years, starting in the minors back in 2019, according to a Sept. 24 CBS News article.  

Tests expanded to Triple-A in 2022 and appeared during spring training this year, and even showed up at the All-Star Game in Atlanta over the summer, according to the same article. 

During 2025 Spring Training, teams used the ABS challenge system a little more than four times per game. 

Roughly half of those challenges were successful, which lines up with what’s been seen in the minor leagues. 

Both hitting and fielding sides challenged pitches at a similar rate. However, the defensive side came out slightly ahead, winning about 54% of its challenges, compared to 50% for the offense, according to a Sep 23, 2025, MLB.com article.

When looking at who challenged calls, catchers were the most accurate.

They overturned calls 56% of the time — noticeably better than hitters, who sat around 50%, and successful pitchers only 41% of the time, according to the same source. 

In the end, baseball’s charm lies in its imperfections – the close calls, the heated arguments, the shared disbelief when a borderline pitch goes one way or the other. 

Those moments unite fans, players, and umpires in a way no machine ever could.

That’s why I hope MLB keeps the game human because once the heart of baseball becomes automated, it won’t feel like baseball anymore.