Royals' Salvador Perez Leads MLB in Successful ABS Challenges

Perez and the Kansas City Royals have been the most effective at utilizing the new Automated Ball-Strike System in the season's opening weekend.

Mar. 30, 2026 at 4:53pm

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An abstract, energetic painting featuring bold brushstrokes of neon orange, yellow, and blue, capturing the dynamic motion of a baseball player swinging a bat and making contact with the ball.The Royals' Salvador Perez has been a standout performer in the early days of MLB's new automated strike zone system.Atlanta Today

Through the first weekend of the 2026 MLB season, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been the most successful player at challenging calls made by the new Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS). Perez tops all catchers by going 4-0 on his ABS challenges, while San Francisco's Heliot Ramos and Cincinnati's Eugenio Suárez were the only batters who went 2-0 on their appeals. Three-time MVP Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels is 3-1 on his ABS challenges so far.

Why it matters

The new ABS system, which uses an automated strike zone to call balls and strikes, has been a major point of discussion and adjustment for players, managers, and fans in the early days of the 2026 MLB season. Perez and the Royals' success in effectively utilizing the challenge system could give them an advantage over opponents as teams continue to adapt to the new technology.

The details

Through the first weekend of the 2026 MLB season, Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez has been the most successful player at challenging calls made by the new Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS). Perez topped all catchers by going 4-0 on his ABS challenges. San Francisco Giants outfielder Heliot Ramos and Cincinnati Reds infielder Eugenio Suárez were the only batters who went 2-0 on their appeals, with Suárez winning consecutive pitch challenges. Three-time MVP Mike Trout of the Los Angeles Angels is 3-1 on his ABS challenges so far.

  • The 2026 MLB season began on March 28, 2026.

The players

Salvador Perez

The starting catcher for the Kansas City Royals who has been the most successful player at challenging calls made by the new Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) in the season's opening weekend.

Heliot Ramos

The starting outfielder for the San Francisco Giants who went 2-0 on his ABS challenges in the season's opening weekend.

Eugenio Suárez

The starting infielder for the Cincinnati Reds who went 2-0 on consecutive pitch challenges using the new ABS system in the season's opening weekend.

Mike Trout

The three-time MVP outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels who has gone 3-1 on his ABS challenges so far in the 2026 season.

Kansas City Royals

The MLB team that has been the most effective at utilizing the new Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) through the season's opening weekend, led by catcher Salvador Perez.

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The takeaway

The early success of Salvador Perez and the Kansas City Royals in effectively challenging calls made by the new Automated Ball-Strike System could give them an advantage over opponents as MLB teams continue to adapt to the new technology in the 2026 season.