Umpire calls a challenge that Brett Baty never requested
Umpire calls a challenge that Brett Baty never requested
Kristie Ackert, USA TODAY
·
2 min read
Turns out there is still plenty of room for the human element even withMajor League Baseball’s Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System.
Now, it is all in the interpretation.
Just askBrett Baty. TheNew York Metsinfielder slightly raised his right hand in the sixth inning on Tuesday night at Citi Field. He never touched his helmet, though it looked like he was going to touch the bill, not tap it.
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It didn’t matter. Homeplate umpire Junior Valentine saw the arm go up and immediately signaled for a challenge. Baty argued, but Valentine didn’t budge. The strike stood, the Mets were out of challenges.
The reviews on SNY showed very clearly Baty never touched his helmet. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza came out to argue, it still didn’t matter. It was the umpire’s discretion.
Sound familiar?
That was the reasoning on Sunday when home plate umpire Carlos Torresdenied a challengefrom the Orioles and another from the A’s.
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona
The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system on a challenge in the second inning of the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 12, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona.
The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system during a challenge by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of the MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Camelback Ranch on March 11, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona.
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona.
The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system during a challenge by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning of the MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Camelback Ranch on March 11, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.
A general view of the scoreboard during an ABS challenge in the sixth inning of the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training game at Goodyear Ballpark on February 27, 2025 in Goodyear, Arizona.
The scoreboard at Truist Park is seen during an Automated Ball-Strike system challenge during the eighth inning of the MLB All-Star Game on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
The scoreboard at Truist Park is seen during an Automated Ball-Strike system challenge during the first inning of the MLB All-Star Game on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
1/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona
1/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona
2/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system on a challenge in the second inning of the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 12, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona.
3/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system during a challenge by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the first inning of the MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Camelback Ranch on March 11, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.
4/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona.
5/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
ABS system calibration unit before the MLB game at Surprise Stadium on March 02, 2025 in Surprise, Arizona.
6/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
The video board displays the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) system during a challenge by the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning of the MLB game against the Cleveland Guardians at Camelback Ranch on March 11, 2025 in Glendale, Arizona.
7/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
A general view of the scoreboard during an ABS challenge in the sixth inning of the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Arizona Diamondbacks during a spring training game at Goodyear Ballpark on February 27, 2025 in Goodyear, Arizona.
8/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
The scoreboard at Truist Park is seen during an Automated Ball-Strike system challenge during the eighth inning of the MLB All-Star Game on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
9/9
What the new MLB ABS system looked like in action
The scoreboard at Truist Park is seen during an Automated Ball-Strike system challenge during the first inning of the MLB All-Star Game on July 15, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Under MLB rules, only the pitcher, catcher or batter can initiate a challenge. They have two seconds to signal for a challenge. The umpires have discretion to deny requests that do not meet those standards.
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It isn’t Baty’s first issue with ABS. Earlier this season he became the first batter in major-league history to have a bases-loaded walk overturned to an inning-ending called third strike by the challenge system.
Now he has a burned challenge he never asked for to go with it.
The ABS system was designed by MLB to eliminate human errors. Seven weeks in and human error is still part of the game.
