Manfred: automated strike zones within the next four years

Manfred: automated strike zones within the next four years

Rob Manfred, the Commissioner of Major League Baseball (MLB), recently predicted that baseball will implement some form of automated strike zone soon. Manfred made this prediction during an appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, emphasizing the rapid advancement of technology in sports.

“I think you will see some version of the automated strike zone in the big leagues in the next four years. The technology piece of it is so robust. Literally, the path of the pitches is tracked good to 1/100th of an inch. It’s hard to ignore that technology,” Manfred said.

Already In Use

The use of automated strike zones, often referred to as the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), has already been gaining traction at lower levels of professional baseball. Since the start of the 2023 season, Triple-A baseball has been using ABS as part of its games. Alongside this, teams in the minors tested a new challenge system that allowed them to challenge an umpire’s call using automated technology. It proved highly successful, and the MLB introduced the challenge system at the major league level in June.

Regarding this experimental system, Manfred explained, “We have decided that we’re going to test the challenge version. There are two versions of ABS: one where every pitch is called directly into the umpire’s ear, and the other, a challenge system. We’re going to test the challenge system in spring training with major-league players.”

As Manfred nears the end of his tenure—having stated he plans to step down after his contract expires in 2029—it’s clear that implementing technology like ABS could become one of his lasting legacies, potentially transforming how baseball is officiated and played at the highest level.

It will be interesting to see when the MLB decides to implement the automated strike zone technology. It’s a matter of when not if.

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