{
  "id": 11445041,
  "title": "Robot umpires flip 54% of challenged calls in ABS debut as teams learn to time appeals",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/02/robot-umpires-flip-54-of-challenged-calls-in-abs-debut-as-teams-learn",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-10-02T13:15:29.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Winnipeg Free Press",
    "slug": "winnipeg-free-press",
    "url": "https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/sci-tech/2026/10/02/robot-umpires-flip-54-of-challenged-calls-in-abs-debut-as-teams-learn-to-time-appeals"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "New York (AP) - Robot umpires overturned 54% of challenged calls during the inaugural season of the Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS), while catchers proved more successful than batters.\n\nThe Cincinnati Reds gained a net 16.8 runs from overturned challenges, followed by the Los Angeles Angels with 14 and the Athletics with 12.3. Several playoff teams, including the Los Angeles Dodgers, Tampa Bay, Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee, Atlanta, San Diego, New York Yankees, and Houston, underperformed in this metric.\n\nCincinnati's Jose Altuve led batters with 5.6 projected runs gained, while Seattle's Cal Raleigh, Colorado's Kyle Karros, Cincinnati's Sal Stewart, and JJ Bleday followed closely. The Cubs' Seiya Suzuki had the highest projected runs lost in defensive challenges at 5.7, ahead of the Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, Cubs' Ian Happ, Michael Busch, and New York Mets' Brett Baty.\n\nCatchers had a 59% success rate in challenges, outperforming batters' 49% success rate and pitchers' 40%. Padres' Craig Stammen noted that players became more aggressive with ABS challenges in late innings, as they knew they had limited opportunities to challenge after losing the right to do so twice due to incorrect appeals.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Robot umpires overturned 54% of challenged calls in ABS debut",
    "Catchers had 59% success rate in challenges, outperforming batters",
    "Several playoff teams underperformed in overturned challenges metric"
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}