-Mostly Sunny
Major League Baseball’s 11-man competition committee approved the use of the automated ball/strike system (ABS) on Tuesday. Robot umpires will be used for the entire 2026 season.
An umpire still will call balls and strikes from behind home plate, but teams can appeal, and the automated system will determine the call.
The technology has been used in Minor League Baseball since 2019 with the 2025 season marking the second straight year every minor league park used robot umps.
The system also was used during the All-Star Game in July and at spring training.
“It’s great, I guess, but we haven’t had too much experience with it,” manager Alex Cora said Tuesday before Boston’s game against the Blue Jays. “In spring training, we didn’t play too many games and so we don’t have a feel for it. But they’ve been trying this for years in the minor leagues. And they feel this is a correct way of doing it. So we’re behind it.”
- Red Sox playoff chances get huge late-night boost; Boston could clinch as soon as Thursday
- From ManningCast to Unobstructed Views, alt-casts are game-changers for TV networks
- Fenway Insider Live: Submit questions for MassLive’s Sean McAdam
- Boston Red Sox rookie: ‘The more I play, the better I feel’
- Red Sox’ Alex Bregman helps ‘grinding’ veteran who delivered in ‘big’ win
If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.
