Braves' Chris Sale Rejects MLB's New ABS Challenge System

Nine-time All-Star pitcher vows to never use the new technology-driven system to contest umpire calls on balls and strikes.

Published on Feb. 14, 2026

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Major League Baseball is set to introduce the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System in the 2026 season, allowing teams to contest balls and strikes called by home-plate umpires using real-time pitch tracking. However, Atlanta Braves' starting pitcher Chris Sale has voiced strong opposition to this new system, making it clear he will never utilize the challenge option.

Why it matters

The ABS system aims to improve call accuracy and enhance game fairness by reducing umpire errors on balls and strikes. But Sale's resistance highlights the tension between technology-driven changes and the traditional role of umpires in baseball, potentially impacting game dynamics and strategies if other players follow his lead.

The details

Under the new ABS rules, each team will receive two challenges per game, starting with the Yankees and Giants matchup on March 25. The system tracks the exact location of each pitch relative to the batter's strike zone, providing an objective measure to assess calls. Players may challenge calls they believe are incorrect, triggering a graphic display that is transmitted instantaneously via 5G network. However, Sale firmly stated, "I will never challenge a pitch. I'm not an umpire. That's their job." He explained that he believes pitchers should focus on pitching, not umpiring.

  • The ABS Challenge System will be implemented starting in the 2026 MLB season.
  • The first game featuring the new system will be the Yankees vs. Giants matchup on March 25, 2026.

The players

Chris Sale

A Cy Young Award winner and nine-time MLB All-Star pitcher for the Atlanta Braves, who has voiced strong opposition to the league's new ABS Challenge System.

Major League Baseball (MLB)

The professional baseball organization that is set to introduce the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System in the 2026 season.

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What they’re saying

“I will never challenge a pitch. I will never do it.”

— Chris Sale, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves (Fox Sports 5)

“Because I'm not an umpire. That's their job. I'm a starting pitcher. I've never called balls and strikes in my life. Plus, I'm greedy – and I know that. I think they're all strikes. Catchers nowadays, the way they catch the ball and the way they receive, they make them all look like strikes.”

— Chris Sale, Pitcher, Atlanta Braves (Fox Sports 5)

What’s next

As the 2026 MLB season approaches, it remains to be seen how other players and teams will respond to the new ABS Challenge System, and whether Sale's resistance will influence its reception across the league.

The takeaway

Chris Sale's firm stance against using the new ABS Challenge System highlights the tension between technology-driven changes and the traditional role of umpires in baseball. His refusal to question umpire calls raises questions about how the new system will impact game dynamics and strategies if other players follow his lead.