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Red Sox get first taste of drastic rule change: ‘It’s here — and we have to adjust,’ Alex Cora says
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- Red Sox get first taste of drastic rule change: ‘It’s here — and we have to adjust,’ Alex Cora says
FORT MYERS, Fla. — In a way, Saturday marked a new era for the Red Sox when it comes to in-game challenges.
With the ABS (Automated Ball-Strike) challenge system due to be implemented in regular season games this season, Saturday’s Grapefruit League opener against the Twins marked the first taste of ball-strike challenges for the 2026 Red Sox . It didn’t take long for them to win one, either, as first baseman Willson Contreras successfully challenged a strike three call against starter Eston Stull in the top of the first inning.
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With a 1-2 count, Stull threw a low cutter that home plate umpire Clint Vondrak called a strike. Contreras challenged and the replay showed that it was out of the zone, so it was overturned to a ball — and a 2-2 count. Contreras grounded out two pitches later.
“I knew it was low,” Contreras said.
Under the new rules, teams get two challenges at the beginning of a game — and get to keep them if they’re successful. In all, the Red Sox went 1-for-3 on Saturday, with Contreras’ successful protest preceding Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu each having strikes confirmed on later challenges. Minnesota went 1-for-2 trying to turn balls into strikes in back-to-back Masataka Yoshida at-bats, then lost its final challenge on a confirmed ball four to Nathan Hickey in the ninth inning.
“Willson did a good job there. The Abreu was a close one, so we’ll take that,” said manager Alex Cora.
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An extra wrinkle this spring involves the Red Sox getting their players ready for ABS in the regular season. Anyone who has played in the minors since 2022 has some experience with the system , and it was in place at a select number of spring training facilities a year ago, so many key members of the Red Sox are familiar with it. There are others, like Contreras, who haven’t used it much. With that in mind, the Red Sox are urging their major leaguers to challenge pitches early and often in spring training to get a feel for the system. Cora said big league managers got together to ask the league to increase the number of challenges available to teams during exhibition games in an effort to increase familiarity with the system. That request was denied.
“The thing is, there’s a fine line between what we’re preaching (for the regular season) and what we want to do here,” Cora said. “If we have two challenges by the fifth inning, we didn’t do our job.”
“Digging into the information, the data, coming up with the strategy. It’s gonna be different in spring training.”
All Red Sox players had their heights measured earlier in the week so that the automatic strike zone can be tailored to each player’s build. That will have a tangible effect in games, according to Cora.
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“It’s here — and we have to adjust,“ the manager said. ”The strike zone is going to be different, up-down. That’s something that, we have to get used to it. Probably be very disciplined on top of the zone which is something we haven’t done the last few years. A lot of swings and misses there. Understanding now, that pitch might be a ball, it’ll be good for us to train the right way and start laying off the pitches."
Only batters, pitchers and catchers are allowed to challenge pitches and the Red Sox plan to empower their catchers — and certain hitters — to challenge at will. Because of the risk associated with losing a challenge early in a game, there will be carefully constructed rules when it comes to usage. That will all be ironed out in the coming weeks in exhibition play.
“It’s not about how many challenges. It’s when, and being successful,” Cora said. “The good teams are going to challenge. When is the key, and you better be successful on those.”
Due to an industry-wide low success rate, the Red Sox have already encouraged their pitchers not to ever challenge calls — “I think everything’s a strike. It could be four balls off (the plate) and I think it’s a strike,” starter Payton Tolle said — and will work to see which hitters will be given more leeway once the regular season begins. Data will help the Sox decide that.
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“You have to dominate the strike zone,” Cora said. “It’s not about what I think or the coaches (think). The numbers will be there. If you chase, and you chase out of the zone, there’s a good chance you’re not going to challenge. It’s not about who is who or whatever. It’s about what you can do ... The numbers will let us know.”
For players with lots of Triple-A experience, there’s plenty of data available about their challenge aptitude. For example, Cora was struck by how utility man Nate Eaton had a 75% success rate in Worcester last year. Cora believes players should have a hit rate greater than 70% to be given the green light when it comes to challenging. That type of strategy will be a focus in the last week of games in late March, but for now the focus is on practice reps.
“I think it’s a great thing for the game,” said outfielder Roman Anthony . “I’m interested in seeing how it goes all spring training. It was cool to see. I think right now, especially in the spring, we talk about getting a feel for it and maybe using it more than maybe we would in a regular season game. Just to get a feel for it, it’s a great opportunity right now.”
The Red Sox are particularly excited to see how Anthony, who is billed as having one of the best eyes in the game, fares once the system is in place. That he has 93 games of Triple-A experience over the last two years helps, too.
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“I’ve challenged quite a bit,” Anthony said. “It’s great for me. It has turned a lot of strikeouts into walks or changed a lot of counts for me where I was able to reset the count and do damage.
“I think it’s huge and can change the course of a game, especially late in a game.”
Those dramatic moments will wait until late March. For now, instances like the Contreras call are teaching moments the Red Sox can celebrate in jest.
“Everyone in the dugout was hooting and hollering about it,” Tolle said.
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