Orioles Win on Historic First ABS Challenge Overturning Game-Ending Call

New automated ball-strike system delivers dramatic final-out reversal in Baltimore

Apr. 10, 2026 at 4:10am

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A cubist, geometric painting depicting the final moments of a baseball game, with fragmented and overlapping shapes representing the players, the field, and the stadium lights. The vibrant colors and dynamic composition capture the tension and energy of the game-ending play.A data-driven reversal transforms the final out into a dramatic walk-off victory, as the evolving relationship between baseball and technology takes center stage.Baltimore Today

In a game-ending moment that could reshape how baseball approaches technology, the Baltimore Orioles used the new Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system to overturn an umpire's call, transforming a potential defeat into a walk-off victory. This marked the first time an ABS challenge has overturned a game-ending decision, exposing deeper tensions around the evolving role of data, automation, and human judgment in the sport.

Why it matters

This incident highlights how analytics and automation are reshaping the way teams approach critical in-game decisions, with managers and players becoming more comfortable betting on technology to reduce ambiguity at the most pivotal moments. It also signals a cultural shift in how players and fans process the human element of umpiring versus the standardized strike zone promised by ABS.

The details

With two outs in the bottom of the ninth, Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo used the team's final ABS challenge to overturn an umpire's call, turning what would have been a strikeout into a game-ending third strike. The Orioles' 12-for-14 success rate on ABS challenges this season suggests an early adopter advantage, as teams learn to strategically deploy the new system to gain incremental edges.

  • With two outs in the bottom of the ninth inning, the game-ending pitch was delivered.
  • Basallo used the Orioles' final ABS challenge to overturn the umpire's call.

The players

Samuel Basallo

The Orioles' catcher who used the team's final ABS challenge to overturn the umpire's call, transforming a potential defeat into a walk-off victory.

Evan Carter

The Rangers' batter who acknowledged the difficulty of adjusting to the new ABS strike zone in real time, underscoring the transitional period as teams calibrate expectations for 'fair' officiating under automation.

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What they’re saying

“The new zone is being learned in real time. It's difficult to adjust to a different zone and the anticlimactic sting of ending a game on ABS.”

— Evan Carter

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.