Rangers Believe Umpires Misinterpreted ABS Challenge Rules, Costing Them a Run

Skip Schumaker sought clarification from umpires after they denied a potential Rangers challenge in Saturday's loss to the Mariners.

Apr. 19, 2026 at 10:20pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting a baseball game broken down into overlapping planes of navy, green, and orange, conveying the conceptual confusion and disagreement around the ABS challenge rules.A cubist interpretation of the confusion around the ABS challenge system that may have cost the Rangers a run against the Mariners.Dallas Today

The Texas Rangers believe umpires misinterpreted the rules around the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system during Saturday's game against the Seattle Mariners, costing them a potential run. In the eighth inning, Rangers pitcher Cal Quantrill signaled for a ball-strike challenge after a pitch was called a ball, but the umpire denied the challenge, saying Quantrill waited too long. However, the Rangers argue the rules allow for challenges after an 'intermittent play' like a stolen base attempt, which is what happened on the play.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the ongoing confusion around the new ABS challenge system, which is being implemented across Major League Baseball this season. Proper understanding and application of the rules is crucial to ensure fairness and consistency in the game.

The details

In the eighth inning, with the Rangers trailing 3-2, Cole Young broke from first base on an attempted steal as Leo Rivas faced a 3-2 pitch from Quantrill. The pitch was called a ball by home plate umpire Rob Drake, but Quantrill immediately signaled for a challenge as Young took off for third base. However, Drake denied the challenge, saying Quantrill had waited too long.

  • In the eighth inning of Saturday's game (April 18, 2026)
  • Cole Young broke for third base on an attempted steal

The players

Cal Quantrill

Texas Rangers pitcher who signaled for the ball-strike challenge.

Rob Drake

Home plate umpire who denied the Rangers' challenge.

Cole Young

Texas Rangers baserunner who broke for third base on the play.

Skip Schumaker

Texas Rangers manager who sought clarification from the umpiring crew.

Leo Rivas

Seattle Mariners batter who was at the plate during the play.

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What they’re saying

“I think everyone's trying to figure out the ABS and exactly the cadence of everything. My understanding is that once the play is completed, is when we can challenge. According to the home plate umpire, he said he was looking at Cal the whole time. That's where I disagreed a little bit with that. He said he didn't challenge in time. The play was not completed because there's an overthrow in center field. The runner was still going to third base. Once the play is dead, we have three seconds to challenge. Three seconds is a long time.”

— Skip Schumaker, Texas Rangers Manager

What’s next

The Rangers plan to continue discussing the ABS challenge rules with MLB officials to ensure proper understanding and application moving forward.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing challenges teams and umpires face in adapting to the new ABS challenge system, underscoring the need for clear, consistent communication and interpretation of the rules to maintain fairness in the game.