Tigres lead MLB in robot umpire challenges

Catcher Dillon Dingler spearheads Detroit's successful appeals against automated strike zone

Apr. 6, 2026 at 8:23pm

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting a fractured, multi-perspective scene of a baseball catcher framing a pitch and an umpire signaling a strike, with sharp overlapping planes in a palette of navy, green, and orange.The new automated strike zone system in Major League Baseball has given catchers an early edge in challenging umpire calls, exposing the need for continued refinement of the technology.New Haven Today

In the first full week of Major League Baseball's new automated strike zone system, catchers have had significantly more success challenging umpire robot calls than batters, led by Detroit Tigers catcher Dillon Dingler.

Why it matters

The introduction of robo-umpires has been a major point of debate in baseball, with concerns about the accuracy and consistency of the automated strike zone. The early results show catchers may have an advantage in navigating the new system.

The details

Through the first six days of the season, catchers have successfully challenged umpire robot calls 41% of the time, while batters have only won 29% of their appeals. Dingler, the Tigers' starting catcher, has led the league with 7 successful challenges, helping Detroit pitchers avoid several called strikes.

  • The 2026 MLB season began on April 1st.

The players

Dillon Dingler

The starting catcher for the Detroit Tigers, who has led the league in successful challenges against the automated strike zone in the early part of the 2026 season.

Detroit Tigers

The MLB team based in Detroit, Michigan that has seen its catchers have the most success in appealing calls made by the new robo-umpire system.

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What they’re saying

“The robot umpires are still learning, and we're learning how to work with them. It's going to take some time to get the system dialed in, but we'll keep working at it.”

— Dillon Dingler, Tigers Catcher

What’s next

The MLB will continue to monitor the performance of the automated strike zone system and make adjustments as needed throughout the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The early results of the robo-umpire system in MLB show catchers may have an advantage in navigating the new technology, highlighting the need for ongoing refinement and collaboration between players and officials to ensure the integrity of the game.