The ‘Human Element’ is close to being officially dead. And honestly? Good riddance.
The Automated Ball-Strike System (ABS) is officially here for the 2026 season, and it’s a desperate—but necessary—move to stop blown games. While the “conservatives” are losing their minds, this change will go down as the most important shift in the history of our beloved game.
For decades, we’ve lived with the heartbreak of a favorite team losing on a bad call at the plate. While a game rarely hinges on one single pitch, that one mistake can change everything. Look at the Dominican Republic getting crucified against Team USA: Corey Blaser called a ball practically on the ground a “strike,” killing the DR’s momentum and handed the U.S. a trip to the Championship. We’ve seen this movie too many times. A solution had to happen, and it had to happen fast.
ABS took over Spring Training, and the results are eye-opening. It’s leaving umpires exposed and forcing a level of accountability we’ve never seen. But the real test is coming: How does this hold up in October? Imagine a World Series hanging on an ABS ruling. The last pitch of Game 7 gets challenged—the stadium goes silent while a computer decides if a champion has been crowned or the game continues.
It’ll spark a massive debate, and yeah, it takes the “human element” out of the game. But at least the missed calls excuses are completely taken away.
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