MLB Unveils New Automated Strike Zone for 2026 Season

The computerized system will challenge umpire calls, leading to a slightly modified strike zone shape.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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Major League Baseball is implementing an automated ball-strike (ABS) challenge system for the 2026 season, which will allow pitchers, batters, and catchers to challenge umpire calls on balls and strikes. The computerized strike zone will then determine if the original call was correct or not. While the home plate umpire will still make the initial pitch call, the new ABS system has resulted in a slightly modified strike zone shape with perfectly straight lines and corners, unlike the more variable human-called zone.

Why it matters

The new ABS system aims to help eliminate some of the most egregious missed ball and strike calls, which should be an improvement for the game. However, it will take time for players, who are incredibly attuned to how individual umpires call the strike zone, to adjust to the new computerized zone.

The details

The ABS challenge system has already been used in the minor leagues, and it will now be implemented in Major League Baseball for the 2026 season. The system allows a pitcher, batter, or catcher to challenge a given ball or strike call a certain number of times per game. The computerized strike zone will then inform the home plate umpire whether the original call was correct or not. While the umpire will still make the initial pitch call, the new ABS-defined zone has a slightly modified shape compared to the more variable human-called zone, with perfectly straight lines and corners.

  • The ABS challenge system will be implemented in MLB starting in the 2026 season.

The players

Juan Soto

A star MLB player known for his exceptional plate vision and ability to recognize the strike zone.

Jesse Rogers

An ESPN reporter who tweeted an image comparing the new ABS strike zone to the previous human-called zone.

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What they’re saying

“It'll take some getting used to for players, who are incredibly finely tuned on the zone. Someone like Juan Soto knows exactly how an umpire is going to call things. The ABS zone could throw off even the best plate vision, at least for a short time.”

— Jesse Rogers, ESPN Reporter (Sporting News)

What’s next

The new ABS challenge system and modified strike zone will be implemented across Major League Baseball starting in the 2026 season.

The takeaway

The introduction of the automated ball-strike challenge system in MLB represents a significant change to the game, as players will have to adjust to a slightly different strike zone shape defined by the computerized system. While this change aims to improve the accuracy of ball and strike calls, it may take time for even the best hitters to adapt to the new zone.