The 2026 MLB season is officially underway and it didn’t take long for the new ABS (Automated Ball/Strike) Challenge System to be used in a number of games on Opening Day.
One of the best uses of the ABS challenge came during the Red Sox’s 3-0 win over the Reds in Cincinnati on Thursday.
Here’s how it played out: Roman Anthony was at the plate in the top of the ninth with two outs and a runner at first. Facing a 3-2 count, it initially looked like Anthony struck out looking against the Reds’ Connor Philips as home plate umpire Dan Iassogna rung him up on a pitch that looked to be a little low and out of the zone. As Reds players started to run off the field, Anthony quickly tapped his helmet to ask for a review. Then moments later the call was overturned and ruled a ball. Anthony took first base on a walk and the Red Sox went on to add two insurance runs.
Here’s how that played out:
This call is the exact reason why ABS was needed pic.twitter.com/cc7fBYFSE1
— Zo (@zo_demalia) March 27, 2026
That was an absolutely perfect use of the ABS challenge by Anthony and the Red Sox. They had nothing to lose by challenging it and everything to gain. Being able to score two runs after that didn’t change the outcome of the game, as the Reds went scoreless in their final at-bats, but going into the bottom of the ninth inning with a 3-0 lead feels a lot better than going in with a 1-0 lead.
Let’s take a look at how this new system works.
How many challenges MLB teams get per game
After a few years of testing at the minor league level, this is the first year that ABS will be used in MLB games.
Each team gets two challenges a game. If a game goes to extra innings each team gets another challenge to work with. If a team has a leftover challenge heading into the 10th inning, they will not get an extra one. However, if they use their challenge in the 10th inning and the game continues into the 11th inning, they will get another challenge.
Also, if you challenge a call in the first nine innings and get it right, you retain your challenge.
Who is allowed to challenge a call
This is where it gets a little fun. There are only three people who can call for a challenge—the hitter, catcher and pitcher. Managers, who have been known to argue balls and strikes since basically the beginning of time, are not allowed to challenge a call. They have to depend on their players to call for a challenge and they also have to devise a strategy around it so players don’t waste any challenges.
The players calling for a challenge must do so quickly by tapping their helmet or hat and they are not allowed to get any assistance from teammates or manager. If they do get help, the challenge will not be granted.
Will the ABS Challenge System be used in all games this year?
The answer to that question is mostly yes, but there are three games in which it will not be available.
“The lone exceptions for 2026 will be the Mexico City Series (Diamondbacks vs. Padres, April 25-26), the Field of Dreams game (Twins vs. Phillies, Aug. 13) and the Little League Classic (Brewers vs. Braves, Aug. 23), none of which will be played in an MLB park and therefore will not have the infrastructure to support the system.”
We are just two days into the season but it’s already clear that this system is going to be great for the game and could also play a huge factor in wins and losses.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as How the Red Sox Used a Perfect ABS Challenge to Beat the Reds on Opening Day.
